With the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games quickly approaching, intellectual property rights (IPR) protection in China is becoming an ever more important issue. Even though China has acceded to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in December 2001, and has legislated substantially to reform its IPR protection laws, these reforms have not as yet stemmed all pirated computer software, Video CD's and DVD's from the Chinese market.
The Agreement on Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPs Agreement), which is binding up all members of the WTO, requires member countries to implement IPR protection laws in accordance with minimum standards of IPR protection. Member countries' laws must also provide for 'effective' action against the infringement of IPR.
