Market regulator targets online discounter Pinduoduo

The appearance of shanzhai products, look-alike counterfeit goods that feature purposely misspelled names of leading brands, on Chinese online discount site Pinduoduo has sparked heated discussion.

Televisions, sold under the brand name Shaasuivg, which could be confused for Samsung, are made by a consumer electronics company in Sichuan province. The sets cost 388 yuan ($57) apiece, more than 10 times cheaper than those produced by the South Korean technology giant.

Other copycat brands with names and products similar to those of Xiaomi, Huawei, Vivo and Oppo have been sold on Pinduoduo, and their prices are listed at just several hundred yuan.

Since its initial public offering in the United States in late July, Pinduoduo has been criticized by the media for selling low-priced knockoffs that resemble products made by well-known manufacturers.