From The Wall Street Journal:
In the Bush administration’s “good cop-bad cop” approach to trade relations with the Chinese government, yesterday was a “bad cop” day.
As expected, the government said it would file a pair of cases in the World Trade Organization against China aimed at piracy and counterfeiting of U.S. intellectual property. U.S. Trade Representative Susan Schwab said piracy and counterfeiting is “unacceptably high” and action was needed to prevent further losses to U.S. companies and workers.
She also said, however, the U.S. would “remain open at any time to a comprehensive settlement” during the WTO arbitration process.
One WTO case accuses China of lax enforcement of copyright violations. The other challenges barriers to the sale of U.S.-produced movies, music and books, a complaint that focuses on China’s practice of requiring government middlemen to import such materials, which officials there say is necessary to ensure its censor process.[Full Text]
