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The General Office of China’s State Council has outlined an agenda aimed at tackling and reducing the infringement of intellectual property rights online.
Among the key aims is stronger regulation and legislation, better collaboration between government departments, and enhanced regional cooperation to tackle cross-border sales of illicit goods.
The council, which acts as the chief administrative authority of China, has also set out its plan to encourage self-regulation among industries to tackle the sale of infringing products.
The plans were announced on Saturday, November 7.
“The rapid development of e-commerce has become a strong driving force for China’s economic growth. The State Council urges a crackdown on infringement of IP rights and the production of counterfeit and inferior goods in cyberspace to safeguard the healthy development of e-commerce,” the council said in a statement.
Chinese authorities will focus on tackling products that may harm the public’s health and safety such as the distribution of fake produce, medicine, cosmetics, medical equipments and electronics.
Furthermore, authorities will “expand the scope of supervision” on online platforms and social media sites including Weibo and WeChat to tackle piracy.
Internet service providers will be required to introduce the “Notice – Delete” scheme, which means the blocking of infringing material upon request from a right owner.
The strategy is part of a programme to “effectively stop IP infringements and prevalent counterfeiting products sold on the internet in around three years to help with a healthy and orderly development of e-commerce,” the council added.
China’s State Council; anti-counterfieting; social media; Weibo; WeChat; piracy; copyright
