PASSAGE 2 

China has used many different forms of trade mark for many hundreds of years. In fact, bricks on the Great Wall were stamped with the producers’ marks so that emperors can be assured of the quality and accountability. In most countries, any means of intellectual property rights can be sold, licensed or inherited. Unfortunately, almost everywhere, it can also be stolen. Today, intellectual property piracy and counterfeiting are robbing and endangering Chinese artists, innovators, businesses and consumers. Intellectual property protection is not a luxury for the rich. It is what inspires technological advances, protects us form dangerous products and creates cultural and economic wealth around the world for countries at all levels of development. Each year, nearly 7% of world trade is in pirated and counterfeit products. Some of these counterfeit products can injure and even kill people. Fake automobile brakes, airplane parts, infant milk formula and medicine are sold by unscrupulous manufactures and dealers who profit from consumers’ lack of awareness and failure to understand the importance of buying legitimate products. Many of these criminals are not just local street venders, but also organized criminal groups. Some of these products can also destroy an entire industry. For example, Hong Kong’ s legendary film studios have taken a beating as pirates continue to steal their movies and sell fake DVDs. The studios are left with little income to invest in new films and actors. The music industry is also affected. Illegal downloading from the Internet and counterfeit CDs are stealing the music and the livelihoods of these talented artists and preventing new artists from emerging.