A senior government official expressed "deep regret" on Tuesday
over the US government putting China on a "Priority Watch List" of
intellectual property rights (IPR) protection, saying it does not
conform to the facts.
Zhang Zhigang, office director of the State Work Group on IPR
Protection and also vice minister of commerce, made the remarks at
a State Council Information Office press conference in Beijing.
He said China has made significant progress in IPR protection,
handling 24,189 trademark infringement cases and seizing over 167
million illegal and pirated products since the launch of a
crackdown last September.
In addition, it has destroyed 24 illegal CD production lines and
closed down 2,960 illegal printing workshops, said Zhang,
evidencing the government's determination and commitment to IPR
protection.
From January to May, procuratorial organs approved the arrest of
340 people suspected of IPR violations, with 258 of them
prosecuted, up 58.9 percent and 20.6 percent year-on-year
respectively, a senior public prosecutor told the press
conference.
They approved the arrest of 882 suspects involved in the
production and marketing of fake and shoddy products, up 51.5
percent year-on-year, said Zhu Xiaoqing, vice procurator-general of
the Supreme People's Procuratorate.
Zhu added that 844 of the suspects were prosecuted, up 45
percent on the same period last year.
Shen Deyong, vice president of the Supreme People's Court, said
the courts handled 1,280 cases in the same period involving IPR
violation, production and sale of shoddy products, and illegal
business operations, up 23.9 percent year-on-year. The number of
these cases concluded rose 28.29 percent to 1,061.
(Xinhua News Agency June 28, 2005)