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Working against fake goods a priority
By Tian Xiuzhen (China Daily)
Updated: 2004-11-22 21:52
China vowed Monday to become an Asian-Pacific model in the fight against
counterfeiting, while enhancing co-operation with the international community.
"The Chinese Government has a strong attitude and confidence in fighting
counterfeiting and will continue to strictly fulfil its international
obligations and further its co-operation with the region in terms of IPR
protection," said Vice-Premier Wu Yi in a letter to the Global Congress/World
Customs Organization (WCO) Regional Forum on Protection of Intellectual Property
Rights (IPR).
Following the First Global Congress on fightingcounterfeiting held in
Brussels in May, the two-day forum is one of the most significant events in the
region, officials say. Itis also a major effort by the General Administration of
Customs of China since it was nominated as vice-chair of the WCO in June.
Countries in the region, their administrations, agencies and private sector
partners have identified counterfeiting as a major problem. It causes untold
harm to national and business interests through the loss of tax and company
revenues, diversion of government resources, higher costs for law enforcement
and negative impacts on economic development, employment and investment.
Data available at the forum shows that trade in counterfeitsendangers the
health, safety and security of consumers. Nearly US$600 billion a year is traded
in fake goods, and a large proportion of it goes to funding international
organized crime.
"Combating counterfeiting has become a major agenda of the international
community as the trade in this sector enlarges and grows as a problem which
requires governments at all levels to place a higher priority on it," said Kunio
Mikuriya, WCO deputy secretary general.
The forum, servingto enhance co-operation and identify areas for improving
synergy and action, will discuss and pass a Shanghai Initiative Tuesday. It
should guide participating countries in IPR enforcement and make their work more
effective.
Mikuriya praised China's efforts in fighting counterfeiting and urged the
country to be more dedicated.
To fulfil its commitment, the nation needs to improve its legislative and
judiciary systems. The government has set up a national work team on IPR
protection with Wu as its head, with 12 principals from involved governmental
departments such as jurisdiction, commerce and industry participating.
In the three years since China's entry into the World Trade Organization,
Chinese customs agents have ferreted out more than 1,500 trademark infringement
cases. Crimes uncovered continue to increase at a yearly rate of more than 30
per cent.
The Chinese customs administration has also mobilized a nationwide campaign
to crack down oncounterfeits and piracy mainly in the area of trademarks,
copyrights and patent protection through September 2004 until August next year.
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