BIZCHINA> IPR Issue
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BIZCHINA> IPR Issue
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Legal system offers 'due protection'
By Xie Chuanjiao (China Daily)
Updated: 2007-04-25 09:40 This month China lowered the threshold at which a criminal act of IPR infringement is deemed to have occurred and it began dealing heavier punishments to violators. Anyone who produces more than 2,500 counterfeit items can now be sentenced to a maximum of seven years' jail. The previous rules from 2004 set a limit of 1,000 pirated discs and defined "serious offenders" as those who produced over 5,000 copies. "The courts will extend the protection of intellectual property rights and do their utmost to punish offenders and prevent crime," Xiong said. The official also warned that the government would not go soft on IPR infringement, with a surge in IPR cases expected under the new regulations. By 2006 China had established 172 IPR tribunals and 140 IPR collegiate courts, with a total of 1,667 judges presiding over IPR cases. (For more biz stories, please visit Industries)
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