MOSCOW, January 9. /TASS/. The Russian Export Center (REC) welcomes the initiative of the Shanghai authorities to inspect stores selling counterfeit goods, the REC press service told TASS commenting on the report about the inspection of 47 local retail outlets by Chinese authorities.

Earlier, Chinese radio reported that the Shanghai Market Supervision Administration initiated an inspection of 47 stores with counterfeit products from Russia. The retail outlets, that presented themselves as stores of Russian goods, sold products without required documentation.

"We are interested in developing fair competition and protecting the interests of Russian exporters, so we welcome any measures aimed at combating counterfeit products and creating a transparent market for Russian goods abroad. We hope that such inspections will help clear the market of low-quality products and strengthen trust in the Made in Russia brand," the REC statement says.

The REC press service believes that the growing popularity of Russian products and the Made in Russia national brand has a downside, stimulating "unscrupulous entrepreneurs who seek to profit from this popularity by selling counterfeit products."

"Such activities damage both the reputation of Russian manufacturers and the image of the country as a whole," the press service said.

The REC reminded that real shopping units and retail outlets have distinctive features confirming their authenticity. This is the bird symbol in the colors of the Russian flag - the sign of the Made in Russia national brand. Since 2017, the Russian Export Center and the Agriculture Ministry have been implementing a program of Russian national shopping units, the purpose of which is to ensure the promotion of domestic agricultural exports.

Such sites are located in a number of Chinese cities such as Shanghai, Harbin, Chengdu and Shenzhen. This year, the REC, together with its Chinese partners, plans to expand the geography and open more than 20 promotion points in other regions of China. On January 19, a new shopping unit and a Made in Russia flagship store will open in the city of Shenyang. the report says.