the Chinese authorities have
reiterated that the fight against the online sale
of counterfeits remains a top priority for the government.
The Chinese government is stressing
that e-commerce shall be seen as a source of growth
for the economy and, as such, it becomes of primary
importance to address the economic and social issues
connected with it, among which is the protection of
intellectual property rights (IPR).
Governments from all over the world are stressing
the importance of enhancing IPR protection in the
online marketplace. Numerous initiatives are taking
place such as conferences, best-practice exchanges,
and a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed
with Business Councils and Companies.
In line with the above, in March 2015, the
Chinese National People’s Congress announced its
intention to draft a comprehensive e-commerce law.
The text has not been published yet and it is expected
to be released for comment during the second half of
2015, but the fact that such a law is in the pipeline
reinforces the idea that the protection of IPR in
the online marketplace is seen as a top priority for
Chinese Authorities at all levels.
To further stress the importance of the topic, the
State Council issued an opinion, on May 7, 2015, restating
the importance of improving the e-commerce
industry in China and highlighting some areas of concerns,
which include inadequate consumer protection
and lack of confidence by consumers when purchasing
products online.