China, Russia Top Piracy List

WASHINGTON, D.C., May 1: According to a new report from the
Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, China and Russia remain on top of the
list of the world’s biggest producers of pirated goods.

“We must defend ideas, inventions and creativity from rip
off artists and thieves,” said U.S. Trade Representative Susan C. Schwab.

“Russia remains a focus of U.S. trade policy in the area of
intellectual property,” Schwab continued. “Large-scale production and
distribution of IP-infringing optical media and minimally-restrained Internet
piracy are among the major problems that require more enforcement action.”

On China—against which the U.S. has filed two
complaints with the World Trade Organization over pirated goods—Schwab
noted: “Our recent decision to pursue IPR-related concerns in China through
consultations under WTO dispute settlement rules demonstrates our determination
to defend vigorously American innovation.”

China and Russia are both on the report’s Priority Watch
List of countries that “do not provide an adequate level of IPR protection or
enforcement, or market access for persons relying on intellectual property
protection.” Ten other countries are on the list in this year’s report:
Argentina, Chile, Egypt, India, Israel, Lebanon, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, and
Venezuela. In announcing the elevation of Thailand to the Priority Watch List,
the report cites a range of intellectual property concerns, including
deteriorating protection for patents and copyrights. Thirty trading partners
are on the lower level Watch List: Belarus, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada,
Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Hungary,
Indonesia, Italy, Jamaica, Korea, Kuwait, Lithuania, Malaysia, Mexico,
Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Tajikistan,
Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam.