Intellectual property violation in the People's Republic of China

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Intellectual property violation in the People's Republic of China includes the violation or infringement of patents, copyrights, and trademarks in the People's Republic of China (PRC). The widespread nature of such violations and the size of China's population and economy have made the issue a controversial one. This is particularly true in the United States, a large producer and exporter of intellectual property and a nation with a sizable trade deficit with China.

Software piracy

A pirated CD purchased in Hangzhou, China purporting to be the PC game "Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3". No such game exists. The CD in fact contains Command & Conquer: Yuri's Revenge.

In China, the pirated software and videos can be bought in some shops. These pirated copies are always sold in a low price, only about 0.8 dollars per disc. And in the Internet, many web sites provide software download service and charge almost nothing.

Film and television piracy

Though not quite as widespread in the past, pirated movies and television series can be easily acquired as DVDs from outdoor or technology markets or through online file sharing systems.

Foreign criticism

In 2007, the Office of the United States Trade Representative placed China on its "priority watch list" for intellectual property rights violations, along with eleven other nations.^[1]

See also

• Intellectual property in the People's Republic of China

References

• Why China is a 'pirate nation', Interview with Dr Peter Navarro, by Venkatesan Vembu, Daily News & Analysis, 15 December 2006