THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK
Visitors to China soon realize that it is relatively easy to purchase a pirated movie. You don't even have to look for it; it looks for you. Illegal sales of CDs, VCDs and DVDs are fairly common all over China. While the authorities have attempted to crack down on this problem, the reality is that you can pick up the latest movie on DVD on many street corners in Shanghai. Last week, Shanghai No 2 Intermediate People's Court heard cases against several Shanghai companies brought by Twentieth Century Fox Film Corp, Disney Corp and Universal Studios. The studios brought this action against the Shanghai companies in response to their alleged sales of pirated discs.
The American movie giants are seeking a public apology, financial compensation and a stop to the alleged violation of their copyrights. While the issue of movie piracy is not new in China, this is the fist court case of its kind in Shanghai. The outcome of this matter will be of particular interest in light of China's obligations under the WTO. Whether China can effectively live up to its copyright obligations remains to be seen. Certainly, there is a huge task ahead of regulatory and enforcement bodies if they want to clear the streets of cheap fakes. Will be watching this case eagerly....
5:13:34 PM 
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