Police and copyright officials have destroyed 58.38 million books, CDs, DVDs, computer and software products, and shut down 13,000 illegal shops and street vendors, 664 printing and replicating businesses and 1061 illegal websites as part of China's 100-day anti-piracy campaign.

Organized by 10 ministries and national departments, the campaign reflects the Chinese government's resolution to combat piracy and protect intellectual property rights (IPR).

The Chinese government has realized that the anti-piracy campaign requires a long-term commitment and that the 100-day crackdown on piracy will not entirely eradicate the problem. As their next step, the 10 ministries have launched another campaign to "protect IPR and crackdown on piracy on a daily basis."

Laws of economics dictate that market demand will determine production. As long as the pirate market exists, dealers in pirated products will continue to pursue this illegal but profitable business.

The supply of Chinese cultural products still lags behind market demand and bootleg products are much cheaper than their authorized versions. The crackdown on piracy is not a short-term task and we should not be complacent because we have enjoyed temporary success.

Fighting piracy at the source is not an effective way to handle the problem. An investigation in Guangdong Province found that there are four major sources of pirated audio and video products: 50 percent are from underground production lines, 30 percent are smuggled into the country, 15 percent come from legal producers and 5 percent are downloaded or recorded for personal use.

Since the intensive anti-piracy campaign was launched, open sales of pirated products are rare, but more covert sales operations still run in busy streets, hotels, shopping centers, overpasses or underground passages. Cracking down on such groups is more difficult.

Repeated checks and supervision on daily basis are necessary and severe punishment must be carried out in order to increase the risk of engagement in the selling of pirated products and impair their profits.

The best way to crackdown on piracy is to educate the masses and increase awareness in society about respecting IPR. If everyone refused to purchase pirated products, they would soon disappear.

By People's Daily Online