Chinese Agency Criticizes Alibaba Over Counterfeit Items

Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. is embroiled in a rare, high-stakes public dispute with a powerful Chinese government agency that is accusing the e-commerce giant of allegedly failing to crack down on the sale of fake goods, bribery and other illegal activity on its sites. The government’s accusations are in a white paper just made public by China’s State Administration for Industry and Commerce but based on conversations between the agency and Alibaba company officials in July.