Judicial Activism in China? Supreme Court to Lower Threshold on IPR Crimes

According to September 7, 2004 article in the People's Daily Online, "The Supreme People's Court and the Supreme People's Procuratorate of China have long been conducting research work on lowering the threshold of intellectual property rights (IPR) crimes, said Zhang Qin with the State Intellectual Property Office (SIPO) on September 6. Preliminary solution has been basically worked out and relevant judicial explanation is to be released by the end of this year. "

Another article in the same publication reports that "The State Council has launched a special campaign to protect intellectual property rights (IPR) throughout China. The campaign, which will continue until August next year, aims to make further progress in IPR protection, Zhang Zhigang, director of the Office for the National IPR Protection Working Group, said Monday in Beijing at a news conference held by the State Council Information Office. . . . By the end of this year, judicial interpretations of relevant questions regarding laws applicable to IPR-related crimes and determining the penalties for IPR infringements will be issued."