Best IP Protection is Through Education, Not More Enforcement Actions
Introduction
It is beyond dispute that China has some of the most comprehensive and up-to-date Intellectual Property (IP) protection laws of any country in the modern world, in conformance with its accession to the Berne Convention and the Geneva Convention.1 This is a direct result of China’s serious fourteen-year pursuit of World Trade Organization membership and compliance with its WTO obligations.2
On October 27, 2001, China promulgated the amendment to its PRC, Copyright Law of 1990 (the Copyright Law). The amendment came into effect upon its promulgation. The purpose of this amendment was to bring China’s copyright protection to full compliance with relevant international conventions. It seems more than coincidental that the amendment was promulgated one week before China signed its WTO accession documents; the amendment was issued in all likelihood to prove that China is making efforts to honour its WTO commitments.”3
China acknowledges that its own IT sector is retarded due to lack of transfer of foreign technology and lack of foreign investment, both caused by lack of foreigners’ belief in IP protection in China.4 China has ratcheted up IP enforcement with record numbers of prosecutions in all provinces and semi-autonomous regions, because China sees this as being in its own economic best interests. Yet, organizations like AmCham assert that while such enforcement actions are laudable, they fall far short and suggest that the situation is getting worse, not better.5 The Asia-Pacific Council of American Chambers of Commerce asserts, “Aggressive enforcement of intellectual property rights will benefit both consumers and businesses. Encouraging the enforcement of IPR rights will allow U.S. companies to reap the benefits of their investments, and will also encourage additional businesses, particularly small- and medium-sized enterprises, to participate in the global marketplace.”6
This myopic world-view taken from a “business only” perspective ignores the most fundamental principles of Globalization, cultural diversity appreciation and understanding. For five thousand years the Chinese have had no concept of private intellectual property rights. Under the Emperor Dynasties and more recently the Socialist Economic System, the government owns all real and personal property, including celebrity endorsements.7
1.3 billion people cannot be expected to embrace such a foreign concept over night. IP protection is brand new (last 20 years) and the basic change in recognizing private ownership of IP is hard to teach and hard to accept. Only 53 percent of the people even speak Mandarin8 and more than 8.72 percent are illiterate.9 That is one-hundred thirteen million illiterates in China. An entire society needs to be taught about the value of private ownership of intellectual property. This educational process must begin at China’s universities where libraries allow and even encourage wholesale copying of entire books.
Under the socialist economic system the government owned the books (copyrights were non-existent) and the people are the government. So, the people copy what they already own and thus are not stealing anything from anyone. This practice continues to this day. Chinese libraries still allow this practice to continue unabated without even a cursory check to see if the book has an ISBN number.The Chinese universities are the Research and Development labs for China and yet 75 percent of them fail to patent their own inventions.10 India is as adept at copying China’s non-patented pharmaceuticals as China is at copying America’s copyrighted DVDs.11
Chinese people understand that it is wrong to steal tangible goods but there is no concept that taking IP without compensation is wrong. Intangible thoughts and ideas have no reality as something that is subject to theft, even when they are reduced to a writing or artwork. On any given day, in any given Chinese bookstore, there are more people sitting on the bare floor stealing IP (reading books for free) than patrons in the local library. Even the bookstores encourage IP theft. There are no signs prohibiting free reading and no enforcement of such a “foreign” idea. The people know that they cannot take the book out of the store without paying for it, but they do not understand that their act of reading it without compensation also constitutes a theft. A major Shanghai university teaches IP protection using a Prentice Hall book, copied in violation of the copyright laws. This university has a teacher stand in front of the class and teach that it is wrong to steal IP while teaching from a stolen textbook. This is hypocritical and sends the wrong message to the students who are the next generation of business and government leaders. The universities must teach, not just preach, IP protection and they must implement what they teach. China’s universities are teaching the next generation of political and business leaders, as well as the next generation of teachers. Education is the fundamental key to change, not enhanced enforcement actions.
Increasing IP enforcement actions tenfold will not accomplish the desired transformation of Chinese thinking and attitude towards IP ownership and protection. This can only be accomplished through proper education, not hypocritical half-hearted educational efforts. It is no easy task to bring such fundamental change to the thinking of 1.3 billion Chinese people. It requires a psychological revolution of unprecedented proportions to create a new ethos where none has existed before. Enforcement actions undoubtedly have an effect on those successfully prosecuted but to assume a deterrent effect that will sweep throughout China’s society is to continue to believe that capital punishment deters murder or other serious crimes.
- Chen Chao (2001). China Amends Copyright Law, Retrieved from http://www.china.org.cn/english/2001/Nov/22246.htm ↩
- Olson, E. (2001). WTO Sets Date to Discuss China’s Entry, New York Times November 14, 2000. Retrieved from http://www.globalpolicy.org/socecon/bwi-wto/wto/2000/1114eo.htm ↩
- Wang, V, and Cai, R. (2001). New Changes to Copyright Protection in China Retrieved from http://www.dwt.com/practc/sha_chi/bulletins/10-01_copyright.htm ↩
- China Daily (2004). Piracy still plagues China’s IT industry. Retrieved from http://english.people.com.cn/200406/30/eng20040630_148091.html ↩
- American Chamber of Commerce (2004). White Paper – Intellectual Property Rights. Retrieved from http://www.amcham-china.org.cn/amcham/show/content.php?Id=332 ↩
- Asia-Pacific Council of American Chambers of Commerce (2005). Intellectual property Rights – Position Paper. Retrieved fromhttp://www.apcac.org/?id=47 ↩
- Falk, J. (2005). Yao Ming vs. Coca Cola. A Professional Athlete’s Right to Publicity in China. Retrieved fromhttp://www.iln.com/2004_newsletter/may/na_epstein _becker.htm ↩
- People’s Daily On Line (2005). Greater numbers speak Mandarin. Retrieved from http://english.people.com.cn/200412/27/eng20041227_168739.html ↩
- People’s Daily On Line (2005). Illiteracy Rate Among Adult People in China Slashed http://english.people.com.cn/200412/27/eng20041227_168739.html ↩
- China Education and Research Network. (2005). 75% of Chinese Universities Need Patent Application. Retrieved fromhttp://www.edu.cn/20050617/3141159.shtml ↩
- Taipei Times (2004). India accedes to pressure over generic drugs. Retrieved from http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/worldbiz/archives/2004/12/27/2003216955 ↩
It is a badly thing that someone steal intellectual property from others. The intellectual property is unique and only have one owner. Regretfully, there are many conducts of steal intellectual property around us. Just us plagiarize the paper, piracy CDs and so on. I fell regretful and ashamed about this. So intellectual property became a very important thing in China. and our government should do their effort to forbid it. We should control ourselves not doing this.
At present, the IP protection give rise to a widely attention. As recently the phenomenon “plagiarism” is very serious, we usually hear that some people like the sing stars and the researchers copy others’ works. But after reading this article, I was a littile shocked. That we read books in the library is also stealing IP. I seldom know about this. Indeed the IP protection should be paid attention by the education. So that many people could realize the importance of the IP Protection. And they will not copy others’ works and supervise each others. Thus, our IP Protection will be heightened.
I insist that everyone can’t steal anything from others with any reason. But when someone want something badly , he or she may plagiarize it and forgive himself by saying that it’s just a game or it doesn’t matter at all. I hate this kind of dishonest man. Because he doesn’t want to work but to gain as others just like a thief. What can we do to this kind of thief? They may not hurt anybody ,but cheat teachers or judges. If we steal article from each other , then who can believe in us in the future. There are too much plagiarized article in China especially in an information society. And I think honesty is a base line of a scholar.
Nowadays, Intellectual Property become a popular word in China, indeed, China did have IP protection for a long time, but today, IP protection has been developed.But not all of copy are stealing IP. We know, coping something and avoiding IP protection is common and legal. Some weaker country don’t have so strong researching ability, they must take the action. And America also have the behave. And I don’t think it is a stealing IP reading book in bookstore, if we want to buy a book, we should read the book at first.
EDITOR’S NOTE:
BEFORE MAKING STATEMENTS ABOUT CHINESE LAW YOU SHOULD READ THE LAW FIRST. YOU ARE 100% WRONG.
Say it frankly,I am short of the consciousness of IP protection.Of course there are lots of reasons to explain this.But the curcial factor is myself.In the daily life,I do not pay attention to it.I think I don’t realize the importance of IP protection.However as a qualified citizen and netizen,we must own the consciousness.we must expect the riginal creativity.It is not easy and important for the originator.For them,they took lots of time and made great efforts to acomplish them.We must respect them.So we should constantly improve the consciousness of IP protection for the creators and the whole society.
I heard a news that the Chinese governmet was taking an action to close the websites which offered a technology of free download,called “BitTorrent(BT)”.The action is useful and important to protect the IP in China,but seems not be supported by Chinese netizens.They complain silently,for not so easy to find a free movie or drama in the future—but still don’t wish to buy them!I am sure we smart Chinese will find another way to share our videos or something else,still freely on web,In spite of our government’s action.If you blame them,perhaps they will say:Image it,if you have bought a DVD,and borrow it to your friend,is it legal?If so,why can’t I share it on website,just to the people I don’t recognize?”
As the article said,we Chinese don’t have a sence of IP.If you get something but you don’t share it,you are even thought so narrowness!The culture of “share” is so important in China,from before and now.To me,I agree that IP is a private property belong to someone who makes it,because all men should be full payed for his work,and don’t ask him but fetch his work fruits is illegal.But can Chinese people’s thought can be changed by education?Perhaps.It is so hard,even more difficult than promised political reform.
Our government has done enough on making some law.But I think,one thing still can be done: Give the companies allowance so get down the price of copyright things.They cost too high,we can’t afford a copyright one,that drives us to buy a non-patented one.We are still poor in the world,compared to the people from developed country.
First of all, I do no deny that I also do not realize the importance of IP productin. Before this I always think things,for example copying orther article, downloading songs or films, are sopposed to be this way. I also don’t realize that I am stealing other things. I first felt that it is serious in the opening ceremony of the new semester when our dean told us one old professor was acused becaue of this. From then on I began to attend the IP productin. I think if we teach this during our education, and everyone has awareness about it. This kind bad things will not happen again.
With the development of society and the emergence of the computer, the flow and exchange of more and more information appear, so how to protect intellectual property rights of information has become an important issue, which has also been recognized by our government, and make some measures. China is a developing country, many problems need time to resolve. But I think our country should make more stringent measures to protect intellectual property rights, because IP is very important for a country’s development, if it is lack of protection, Social order will become chaotic.
In China, piracy is a great problem, it happens anywhere and any time. Pirate booked are available in the markets, pirate softwares can be found easy in the Internet, our technique is always plagiarized. All of these show that we lack of information protecting consciousness. I bought some pirate books, and I always downloaded video and movies from Internet, but these are illegal, I am really ashamed. Although we have copyright protected law, it is kind of faultiness. I think we can do something for it. Of course, completing law is the first thing we should do, but strengthening our protecting consciousness is the most important in my opinion. If we protect our right enough, piracy will have no market, our work will be respected. By the way, the owner should reduce the prices, and it will also help IP protection.
Speaking truthfully, when I first heard “you must pay for the things you have downloaded in foreign country, even the most common software”, I was shocked and though that was ridiculous. “The guy who put the software into the internet just wanted to share it with the other; the more people downloaded it, the happier! Why I need to pay for it?” is just a freakish situation in China! WHY? I think it`s because China has the most population in the world. For example: A guy works hard to invent an useful software and want to earn some money by share it on internet. Someone will buy it and share it for free aimed at let more people to browse his owned website. So many many examples like this and not so many many law to protect such guy leading poor IP in China.
It is bad behavior to steal intellectual property from others, not just IP. There is a proverb in China “when you a child, if you steal a pin, you will steal gold when you grow up”. That is to say, stealing is not a good habit. You steal the little things ,just as a pin, when you a child. May be others forgive you. Then you will think stealing is legal and you are used to steal things. Actually, it is illegal. But you are not aware of that. So, some day you will make a big mistake which couldn’t be change. Maybe you will be send to the prison. So, we cann’t steal things.
when there is a phenomenon,there is a appropriate surrounding for it.In China it just a little difficult to deal with it now,we don’t have enough inspector,and in every field there are so many illegal copies.It is a big system,drag a hair from it and the whole body shake.but it ia also the time to make strict policy to ban it,it has become a hinder for making an advance.
I totally agree with the opinion. We should protect the copyright. Firstly, it no matter can protect the writers’ intellectual property rights, but also can create an environment that the citizens respect knowledge. Secondly, it could improve citizens’ innovation and attempt social progress. Thirdly, it can increase tax. And then the government will increase the budget on science research.
Firstly, I must admit that many Chinese people, even including me, have little concept about IP protection. And it needs to improve.
Secondly, reading books in the bookstore is very common in China. However, most of them read only several pages of the book to decide whether it is worthy to buy. I do not know whether it is IP steal, maybe it is, but I think how could the reader do before make a decision? Only read the title of the book and then buy it? I am sorry to say that I am not able to find out any good solution.
Last, I can not agree with your words more, “Best IP Protection is Through Education”, especially in China.
I agree this point of view “Best IP Protection is Through Education, Not More Enforcement Actions”absolutely. Behavior is determined by thought. So if people can’t be conscious of paying for Intellectual Property, of course, they don’t know IP Protection.
Then, what shall we do? The method to let people realize IP Protection is through education. Only through education can we be aware that we should respect the brainchild of thinker. So we know we should pay for Intellectual Property. That is the best IP Protection.
If we haven’t the idea of IP Protection, enforcement actions are no effect. Because nothing forcibly done is going to be agreeable. This is an old saying of China.
I can’t agree more with this article. All of us know that the IP protection is a serious problem in China which is getting wide attention from our society and other countries now. Things like books, DVDs, designs and so on can’t be easily copied by others without asking the agreement of authors. And it’s really a big problem that block the development of China, especially our economy. But it’s also a complicated and hard task for our government which remains unsolved with effort for so many years. You are right about that most of us still don’t aware of what the IP protection means and what it involves in our daily life. For me, it’s the first day I realize that reading books in bookstore is a kind of action against Intellectual Property. I think not only the government but the university and medium like TV shows should encourage the act of IP protection, and what’s most important, explain what should we do in details to all of us. We really need guide in details.
I can’t agree more about the article. There are copycats in many industries in China not only the works, such as copycat cell phone, copycat TV show and so on. It becomes a copycat culture in China. I think Intellectual Property protection is extremely urgent in China. There are laws about IP in China, but they can’t take effect. I think the most important thing is national consciousness just as the article said. But nowadays, the fact is hardly changed. It is determined by the Chinese social conditions. Most of people just talk about money. It’s hard for them to remember and respect other’s intelligence. I think it’s a long way to go.
I have to agree that it’s really a serious problem in China that intellectual property need to be paid more attentions, and more systemic laws about IP protections need to be made and brought into effect. It’s not seldom for us to see college students even professors cheat others’ research achievements, let along that pirated CDs and books are around us everywhere. I think this is harmful to the development of our economic. If we want to become a developed country, we must solve those problems firstly.
Frankly speaking, the phenomenon of copycats in China is very universal. When you go shopping in China, you will find many copycats in the stores such as the pirated clothing, piracy Nike shoes and so on. Many Chinese people would like to copy others’ creation. They don’t have the consciousness that it’s wrong to steal or plagiarise someone else’s ideas. And the authority pretermits the defaulted behavior of the people’s plagiarism. Well, it is very difficult to change the situation once this behavior has been deeply rooted among people. But the government begins to take action to control this trend. A few days ago, SARFT cut out some BT websites for the sake of protecting the Intellectual Property. It will be a long way to go to improve everyone’s awareness of protecting intellectual property rights.
It’s right. Best IP protection is through education, but not all. Most of the time. China protect IP through more enforcement actions instead of education. In my opinion, it’s easy to understand. Though education may obtain the best results, it requires the longest time to achieve this effect, too. On the contrary, though may cause side effects, enforcement actions are more often took for it can take effect soon. This is the Chinese Characteristics, though hate it, I don’t think it would change soon.
Actually,Enforcement Actions address the symptoms,but can’t root causes for the Intellectual Property Protection issue.Only through the education,can it make all the Chinese citizen realize the “real existence” of the IP.More and more Academic Plagiarism in the University of China give us a alret that we must pay attention to the IP issue.That is to say that we must provide the reference if we quote other person’s view.At the beginning of the Reform,because of the lack of the IP Protection,many infringements of intellectual property rights of China (for example the skill of the Chinese rice paper is stolen by the Japanese) always took place.That gave us a deep grief class.
Nowadays plagiarism is a very rampant phenomenon, such as academic plagiarism, music plagiarism, software piracy, etc. The copyright protection has become a more and more important thing. At the beginning of this semester, the school did a lecture specialized about academic plagiarism, warned us not to plagiarize. And recently, some websites that provide movies downloaded free were cancelled by SARFT(State Administration of Radio Film and TV) to protect the literature property rights. This is a great measure to protect intellectual property rights. China promulgated Copyright Law in 1990 and promulgated the amendment to its PRC in 2001. I think plagiarism will be controlled through the education of people and to strengthen legislation in the copyright protection.
After finishing reading this article, I am so shame because I don’t know what is Intellectual Property (IP) and its special extent. I have narrowly interpreted that it is only representative of the product patent. Firstly I am aware of Intellectual Property issues and I imagine it is not the same as my mentor in the class when my Master Tutor Professor Zhang talked on the knowledge of environmental microbiology two years ago. Surely It is unrealistic that All the Chinese know about IP and do as it. I absolutely agree on this opinion ‘It is no easy task to bring such fundamental change to the thinking of 1.3 billion Chinese people. It requires a psychological revolution of unprecedented proportions to create a new ethos where none has existed before.’ But I must recognize that IP in China should have its own features. We each can’t buy all the textbooks of Genuine Books, because it certainly needs a lot of money and we have right social systems to make money by myself, mostly by my parents. For some poor students, education is not fair for them if they can’t use pirated textbooks. From some angles , I think it is more important for no ill-intentioned people to gain knowledge not to steel other people’s IP to do bad things.
After reading the article, I was shocked that reading a book in the store without compensation is stealing IP. In order to save money, we usually copes books from the prototype and used it as a teaching material. I knew little about the IP and no one ever told me the importance about IP.
I agreed that if we wanted to prompt the enforcement of IP, the emphasis should be put on the education not only in the universities but also in the high school. The new generations are the future of a country and more teachable. In the school, teachers should not only just preach, but should put the IP into their action. And this would give the students a good example.
After I read this article, some ideas about IP protection deeply impress me. “The people know that they cannot take the book out of the store without paying for it, but they do not understand that their act of reading it without compensation also constitutes a theft.” This is very common in China and nobody thinks it has anything wrong. But it is really a problem. I heard some people said that the books they paid will be useless after they have read the books because they would not read the books again. So if people can read books for free in the bookstore why we should buy the book. I think this may be the reason cause the phenomenon mentions above. This is a selfish behavior. Because people just focus on themselves but ignore the time and money other people have spent on the books.
It is all right that take our action to protect IP, but I don’t agree that best IP protection is through education, not more enforcement actions. In contrast, I prefer to believe that putting severe enforcement measure to engage ourselves to obey the related rules and laws. In China, there are some words tell that nothing can be accomplished without norms or standard. What’s more, Chinese have been accustomed to use everything without any payment so it is hard to take a short time to change their behavior formed for a long time. Worsely, the Chinese law system is not so perfect that some people can find out any other way to enjoy the IP of someone else. Everything turn out that it is necessary to consummate our law institute for IP protection is very good at letting out our respect to these people who are absorbing in innovation and promoting our country to make a progress in every division.
I can’t agree with it any more. Best IP Protection should be realized by education method in the society and can only be done in this way. After reading the article, I am a little shocked. In our country, many people lack the education of IP Protection, till having no conscious about it and doing seriously illegal action to steal IP from other independent persons and corporations, which can be considered as a sign of IP non-conscious. So many people have the ugly experience of copying others from anywhere. Even they know such way is bad unacceptable, but they do it all the same.
If we were taught about the value when we were children, we may protect it in our brain.
In China, called the country with a population of 1.3 billion inside,how many people have full-fledged legal consciousness?It is a difficult question to answer,but we can say there are too many people don’t know the law.What does that mean?It means that there are so many people have no idea of the law which associates with their profit.IP protect?It means nothing for lots of people.I mean that people don’t know what action is called the illegal action in this section.It is no wonder many illegal action will happen in China. They don’t know why they are arrested when they plagiarize others.They will do it again even though they are released.So the tragedy happens again and again.I think it is important to raise the awarness of citizens throughout the nation also have to start from education,education and begin to address the crux of the problem
As for the IP protection, I want to talk about the most famous topic “the Microsoft Office”. As we all know, nearly all of the Microsoft Office of private computer in China is pirate. Why? I think the most important reason is that the price is too high. Till the 2008, the price of the Microsoft Office is the same all over the world (account by US dollars), however, the income of the Chinese is much lower than the income of the American, it is unfair! The Chinese is not so silly to buy it when we can download it from the internet without pay a penny. We should not in favor of the pirate, but should we in favor of a price far beyond the ability to shoulder economically? Therefore, to solve the big problem of piracy, the government, the companies, the common people should make effort together!
In china,copyright infringement is so common. What we need is education. We need educate people and let them realize IP protection for furture! What’s more, the law for IP protection should be developed.
China now has the Intellectual Property Protection Law to protects the IP ownership. But there must be a long way for all our Chinese people to realize the importance of Intellectual Property. In the past, we get an idea from others, and that idea will be owned ourselves. There is a literature role called Kong Yiji, who said that if a reader takes a book away, it is not stealing. And also an old saying said that even though the Moon does not generate its own light, it just reflected the sunlight, but we call the light moonlight. But now we should realize that an idea is belong to someone, not everyone, if anyone else wants to quote the idea, the source must be informed. Most of Chinese do not sense the IP and they give their work to everyone, but himself don’t have the ownership. I insist that the situation will be better.
Undoubtedly, Intellectual Property is quite a new concept in China, and it’s necessary for China to set a protection law of it, especially when China has joined the WTO. The world is facing globalizing, and China has to contact many other foreign countries, and the law would protect it from losing benefits. Although it would be hard to change the habit of Chinese of denying the IP, we can do something to popularize the law. It would take a long time, but every country come this way.
I always read book in book store for free.When I was a child ,I don’t have enough money to buy a book ,or even enough money to go to library.I read quite a lot of book in book store .When bookseller said that I should not read book for free in book store for free,I even got angry,I thought I had the right to read book in book store.When grew up,downloading free software from net is what we always do.None of us thinks is a kind of behaviour that maybe against law.IP protection have never be a concept to most Chinese people,including those who accept high education.Nowadays ,I think government should pay more attention to IP protection.
Recently, government has close BitChina and VeryCD for some reasons. I think it is a positive message that Chinese government wants to protect intellectual property. When the internet resource is popular in china, many people prefer to download for free. They watch the latest movies for free, and listen to the most popular music for free. But who will pay for them? The owner of IP, they are victims. So it is necessary to close these websites, and drive people to respect the intellectual outcomes. The most important thing is not to punish, but to educate, only in this way can tell people want they should do, what they should not do.
IP protection is a big topic,especially for the software.I don’t pay for anything for all the software in my computer.I think the same thing will happen to my classmates.It is a good thing for all the people in the long term.But for a short term,maybe most of the people want to buy a copy of the music ,book ,software in order to save money.To change the condition,education is very important .Through education and the law ,let all the people be ware of the IP protection.
In China, piracy is a serious problem. We can find the piracy DVDs everywhere. People likes to buy the piracy because of cheap, which is a important reason to make the piracy overflow. The other reason is that Chinese people donot know taking IP without compensation is wrong. So we should strengthen the people’ consciousness of IP Right. First of all, we should vigorous advocate original negative to make people choice it; second, we should strike the piracy to make the pirate manufacturers have no choice but to give up making piracy. The last but not the least, we should make a law to punish the pirate manufacturers so that the IPR could be protected effectively.
IP protection is very important but it is also easily excessively used. So making criterion of assessment seems to be more important. However, none of the organization around the world have done so. I hope China can firstly improve this situation.
TIMES INTERNATIONAL
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/18/world/asia/18china.html?ref=world
China Imposes New Internet Controls
By SHARON LaFRANIERE
Published: December 17, 2009
BEIJING — China’s government censors have taken fresh aim at the Internet, rolling out new measures that limit its citizens’ ability to set up personal Web sites and to view hundreds of Web sites offering films, video games and other forms of entertainment.
The authorities say the stricter controls are intended to protect children from pornography; to limit the piracy of films, music, and television shows; and to make it hard to perpetuate Internet scams.
Under the new controls, more than 700 Web sites have been shut down, including many that offered free movies, television dramas and music downloads. BT China, which recorded at least 250,000 visits daily, was among them. China’s largest file-sharing site, Very CD, must obtain a new license or face possible shutdown as well, according to news media reports.
Huang Xiwei, the founder of BT China, criticized the move in an interview posted on Sina.com, a popular Chinese Internet portal. “Not just film and video sites are affected,” Mr. Huang said. “All Web sites owned by individuals will gradually exit the arena. All paths leading to a future have been blocked.”
Among the critics are college students who are accustomed to downloading music, films and other material easily and cheaply. Some students at Beijing universities predicted that Internet users would find ways around the new online obstacles.
Still, Wang Shuang, 20, a student at Beijing Foreign Studies University, complained, “Since the BT was closed, I cannot find all the American television series that I have been watching, like ‘The Mentalist.’ ”
Jonathan Ansfield contributed reporting. Li Bibo, Sun Huan and Zhao Nan contributed research.
I don’t know how to express my feeling when I meet such a question. Because I hate the man who steals my or someone else stuff. But in the same time, I am distressed if everyone hides their stuff even no one would like to share their production. If the fruit can not be shared with others, our society would become slower than now.
Maybe someone could say that the fruit is their harvest, no one can rob them. Yes, that’s a good idea, I can’t say a word. But I revere the one who shares their fruit to the people of the world just like YuanLongping; I respect the one who takes their new invention out just like Nobel, and so on. From their contribution, our world becomes so beautiful and harmonious.
After reading this article, I have to say this is true that Chinese people don’t know what is Intellectual Property (IP), even including some scholars. In the 1980s, because of the Chinese people lack the concept of intellectual property , much of China’s technology have been the first to apply for patents by foreigners. This is a very terrible thing.
IP protection is a big topic,especially for the software.I don’t pay for anything for all the software in my computer.I think the same thing will happen to my classmates.It is a good thing for all the people in the long term.But for a short term,maybe most of the people want to buy a copy of the music ,book ,software in order to save money.To change the condition,education is very important .Through education and the law ,let all the people be ware of the IP protection.
Speaking frankly, Intellectual property protection is very poor in China. It is very popular in Chinese campus that teachers ask students to photocopy entire foreign textbooks without paying any fee to the author or publisher. It is very right time for us to do something to change these illegal situations. We should remember that only by respecting copyright can creativity prevails in the society.
In my opinion,the best way to protect intellectual property is taking advantage of education and laws at the same time.They must be treated equally.On one hand,we must teach people copying other’s ideas or thoughts without pay or be promised is wrong and tell what’s result if everyone do it like this. In such a way,piracy will be reduced.On the other hand,driven by the interests，some people will do it willfully,so enforcement actions is indispensable.
Awareness of intellectual property in China is really needs to be improved. This not only relates to the issue of a regulatory system or legal system, more relates to a moral education. This is a kind of honesty. We can not ignore it. At the same time, it also means treasure and respect for the fruits of labor of others.