Institute for Internet Policy & Law @ Beijing Normal University

Ebay finally acknowledged its failure in Chinese market by a thorough withdrawal. It sold out all of its Ebay-Eachnet business to Tom.com. It failed to make any profit in its 3-year operation under the powerful competition from local C2C businesses. It has already withdrawn from Taiwan and Japan market. The Internet is borderless, but a business can only grow in the most suitable soil.

http://tech.sina.com.cn/i/2006-12-20/09381297173.shtml

Is the Chinese government the agent of the western copyright industry? It sounds weird but a pack was just signed in Beijing with Business Software Alliance and The Publishers Association in the U.K., and, in the U.S., the Association of American Publishers and the Motion Picture Association of America. If they hand over their claims against infringement, they get a fast-track treatment. Would that be consistent with the National Treatment under the WTO TRIPS?

http://news.com.com/China+signs+licensing+pact+with+U.S.%2C+U.K./2100-1014_3-6144063.html

It’s the second time that the court ruled against the Ministry of Finance in the government procurement dispute. This is largely caused by two conflicting laws–Government Procurement Law and Government Bidding Law that are administered by the Ministry of Finance and the National Commission of Reform and Development.

http://news.sina.com.cn/c/l/2006-12-17/234411814555.shtml

Fiyat spokesman said their legal tem in Turin were assessing the possiblity of suing Greatwall Automobile for infringing the design patent of Fiyat “Panda” cars. Greatwall denied the infringement charge and insisted that its “Spirit” cars were independently designed by its internal designers. Spirit cars are going to be sold in Italian market in the second half of 2007.

http://msn.ynet.com/view.jsp?oid=17976399

There have been several disputes over automobile design patents between international car manufactures (such as Toyota and General Motors) and booming Chinese car industry (Geely and QQ). Report for Toyota v. Geely case is at http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/200311/24/eng20031124_128904.shtml.

By the end of 2006, China has more than 20 million Internet traders doing various business online. Most of them are one-person business and credibility has become a primary concern for consumers.

http://discovery.ynet.com/view.jsp?oid=17979106