Asia-Pacific News
China promises US to crack down on counterfeits
Oct 20, 2010, 11:22 GMT
Beijing - China's top police officer on Wednesday promised a visiting top US official that his government would launch a six-month crackdown on counterfeit goods and other violations of intellectual property rights.
'The Chinese government has decided to run a half-year long campaign on IPR infringement and the fight against counterfeit goods and products with the participation of all law enforcement agencies in China,' Public Security Minister Meng Jianzhu told US Attorney General Eric Holder.
'This special campaign will target all IPR infringements or violations no matter which industry or sector, be it hi-tech or audio and video products or food and other products,' Meng said before closed-door talks with Holder.
He said the government had decided to launch the campaign following a meeting on Tuesday.
Anyone found violating intellectual property rights would 'pursued and punished to the maximum extent of the law,' Meng said.
Holder welcomed China's move, saying intellectual property violations were of 'great concern to our nation.'
'It is one of the areas in which I think our two great nations can work together to be much more effective than they have been in the past,' he said.
China is notorious for its rampant copying of everything from DVDs of the latest Hollywood films to food items, car parts, entire motorcycles, watches, jewellery, shoes and clothes.
The fakes are often made in small factories in poor areas, where organized criminals can exploit the huge pools of cheap labour.
Despite several high-profile crackdowns, many European and other foreign firms still complain about lack of enforcement of IPR legislation in China.
In a speech at an international forum on intellectual property in Hong Kong earlier this week, Holder said he wanted to work with China to 'identify the most pressing, and perilous, gaps in our enforcement mechanisms.'
He said he hoped China would strengthen protection of intellectual property and 'fulfil the most critical obligations of public service: ensuring opportunity, fostering prosperity, and protecting the safety and health of our people.'
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