Chinese fast-fashion platforms could be next US target

AS CHINESE fast-fashion platforms gain pace in North America, they look set to hit a familiar snag – worsening US-China relations.

In America, lawmakers and policy boffins are talking up the risks they say are posed by the rapid expansion of e-commerce companies such as Shein Group and PDD’s Temu. China remained America’s largest apparel supplier in 2022, accounting for 21.7 per cent of its clothing imports by value, according to data from the US Office of Textiles and Apparel cited by trade site Just Style.

One concern involves the personal data of customers. It comes as China and the US continue to tighten regulations to restrict the cross-border movement of what has emerged as a strategic digital resource.