China: We're fighting piracy, honest!

If there's one thing China is known for aside from its Internet censorship practices, it's piracy. China insists, though, that it is making an effort to crack down on piracy, especially in anticipation of the Olympic Games this summer. Chinese officials said at a news conference this morning that the state had convicted 4,322 people for piracy in 2007, and that it would make a special effort to ensure that the Olympic trademark would be protected.

"The Chinese government has taken concrete steps and its success is there for all to see," State Intellectual Property Office spokesperson Yi Xintian told the press, according to the AP. "We are extending comprehensive and strict protection to Olympic intellectual property. The Chinese government has the resolve and capability to make sure that during the Olympic Games we create a favorable climate for intellectual property."

It's no secret that China is rife with intellectual property rip-offs—not just of music, movies, and software, but of everything you can possibly think of. Handbags, Beanie Babies (yes, still), shoes, cell phones, other gadgets, home appliances, clothing—anything that has a well-known brand name can be found in knockoff form. This fact is amplified significantly if you actually visit some cities in China; it's near impossible to turn your head and not be greeted with blocks upon blocks of street vendors trying to hawk their ripped-off wares for cheaper than it costs to buy a bottle of pop in the US.

It's no surprise, then, that the International Olympic Committee could be a little concerned over its trademarks being abused when the Olympics touch down in Beijing. For an organization that undoubtedly makes lots of money on official merchandise sales, China can be a very scary place.

China's statements come at a time when the country is still widely criticized for not doing enough to combat piracy. A year ago, US Trade Representative Susan Schwab filed a complaint with the World Trade Organization over China's "inadequate protection of intellectual property rights," and later that month the WTO named China again at the top of its piracy watch list. Although some organizations—such as the Business Software Alliance—say that the piracy situation in China is improving, China has continued to butt heads with government officials and even Hollywood.

Some companies, though, are trying to compete with pirates instead. Twentieth Century Fox, Warner China, and Paramount have all begun selling DVDs in China at a severe discount in hopes of attracting would-be buyers away from illicit copies being sold on the street. These studios have priced their movies at between 10 and 25 yuan (roughly $1.40 to $3.50)—the lower end being roughly the same price at which pirated movies are commonly found.

The studios have apparently found that selling their DVDs for so cheap is still better than not selling any at all. If the IOC is smart, perhaps it should plan to sell official merchandise on the cheap during the Games, too.

Original here