US Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez said Tuesday China has indicated it will crackdown on violations of intellectual property rights (IPR) with more "seriousness."
"We saw signs during our meetings (Monday) that China is preparing to address this problem with a deeper level of seriousness," Gutierrez told a breakfast meeting with US business leaders in Beijing.
The US trade official met with Chinese counterparts in Beijing Monday in the annual meeting of the Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade (JCCT), established to tackle bilateral trade disputes.
Among a list of promises made by China at the meeting was a vow to prosecute more IPR violators, Gutierrez said.
"More people will be going to jail in China for stealing intellectual property," he said.
China will clamp down on the rampant sale of pirated American movies and will designate special law enforcement teams to the task, Gutierrez said.
Stolen software will also be targeted. The Chinese government said it will now classify the use of pirated software as an activity that brings "harm to the public interest" — which means end users could face punishment.
During last year's JCCT meeting, the Chinese government committed to ensuring government offices used legal software and progress has been made in this area, Gutierrez said.
This year, Chinese authorities promised to take steps to ensure private enterprises also use legal software, he said.
Law enforcement, judicial and customs officials from the two countries will also increase cooperation, including sharing more information.
Trade fairs — a common distribution channel for pirated goods — will also be better inspected.
Gutierrez, however, stressed: "Effectiveness depends on enforcement."
