US, China Tout Progress Over IP

US and Chinese officials touted recent progress in intellectual-property protection in China and called for continued efforts, even as US and Chinese companies engage in high-profile battles over famous names such as iPad and Michael Jordan.

US officials continued to complain that high piracy rates in China are cutting into profits for rights owners, despite recent efforts by the Chinese government to crack down on Internet and software piracy. On April 12 the US called for greater cooperation by China with intellectual-property agencies in other countries as well as more consistent enforcement. "China's IP system still makes it difficult for both foreign and Chinese companies to compete on a level playing field," US ambassador to China Gary Locke said at a roundtable in Beijing about intellectual-property protection in China.