(News from the Website of the General Administration of Press and Publication) In his speech at the ceremony of destroying pirated and illegal publications recently, Liu Binjie, Deputy Leader and Office Director of the Working Group of Anti-Pornography and Anti-Illegal Publications, Director of the General Administration of Press and Publication, and Director of the National Copyright Administration notes that in the past five years, China increasingly strengthens its efforts to fight against piracy and protect right holders’ legal rights and interests according to law. According to him, in the past five years, China totally ferrets out 789 million copies of pirated and smuggled publications, including 184 million copies in 2003, 213 million in 2004, 110 million in 2005, 142 million in 2006 and 140 million in 2007.

“In 2007, we made the greatest achievement after we launched the program of eliminating pornography and illegal publications. It is an important year for us to deepen our understandings to the rules of cracking down on pornography and illegal publications, and sum up the experience of protecting IPR and cracking down on piracy,” says Mr. Liu. He points out that the experience of carrying out the program during the five years after the 16th National Party Congress indicates the importance of cracking down on criminals according to law and frequent anti-piracy movements.

Chinahas been implementing the program of eliminating pornography and illegal publications for 20 years, and cracking down on piracy is one of the important tasks of the program. During the process of anti-pornography and anti-illegal publications, related departments in various regions take various measures such as “Daily Movement of Anti-Piracy” and “Cultural-Friendly Project”, and have destroyed 238 illegal disc production lines, handled more than 400,000 cases, punished more than 130,000 criminals and ferreted out more than 1.3 billion illegal publications.

Mr. Liu stresses that piracy is the most salient problem in international IP disputes, as well as the major obstacle in the development of copyright industry and even a country’s economic and social development. Chinese Government constantly attaches importance to IPR protection and cracking down on piracy by making the program the national strategy in constructing an innovative country. Recently, the Executive Meeting of the State Council reviews and adopts in principle the Compendium of National IP Strategy. As an important measure to promote the construction of an innovative country, it will exert profound and strategic significance in IPR protection. China will firmly continue its efforts in cracking down on piracy and seek extensive, deep and friendly international cooperation.