COPYCENSE

“Signs of China embracing global market rules abound, from Beijing’s decision to loosen its currency’s peg to the dollar to the willingness of Chinese companies to pursue acquisitions abroad.

“But one thing never seems to change. In 1999, when “Star Wars Episode 1–The Phantom Menace” debuted, it was quickly pirated on DVDs that sold throughout China for next to nothing. Four years after, China joined the World Trade Organization and embraced its stringent rules on intellectual property rights but counterfeit DVDs of “Star Wars: Episode III–Revenge of the Sith” retailed for about 75 cents each.”

K.C. Swanson. The Copyright Challenge in China. News.com. Sept. 18, 2005.