Or so claims the U.S. trade representative in conjunction with President Bush's upcoming visit to China.

Via The Seattle Times:

Inside China's teeming world of fake goods

By Kristi Heim
Seattle Times business reporter
February 13, 2006

...Counterfeiting has become deeply entrenched in China's economy as a source of income for both small-time hawkers and powerful local tycoons. With millions of jobs dependent on the counterfeit trade, many in China think cracking down would mainly benefit foreign companies. While authorities recently have strengthened anti-piracy laws, economic and cultural forces will make change slow and difficult.

The U.S. trade representative claims that 90 percent of virtually every form of intellectual property in China is pirated. (Intellectual property includes copyrights on creative works such as music and software, patents on inventions and formulas, and trademark for logos.) China was the source of two-thirds of all counterfeit goods seized at U.S. ports in 2004.

U.S. and other foreign companies complain they are losing billions of dollars as their ideas and inventions are copied for sale within China and for export across the globe...

While the U.S.'s diplomatic visit makes it clear that there are some macro-level issues involved in China cleaning up it's act in profiting from pirated goods, there are also micro level tacits that savvy companies can employ to frustrate would-be pirates. Retaining the services of with corporate investigative firm is one, often useful, course of action. We often work in concert with attorneys (both in-house and outside counsel) seeking to file cease and desist motions, establish relevant jurisdictions and identify infringements abroad.

Check out the full SeattleTimes article here.

--MDT

Labels: China