Institute for Internet Policy & Law @ Beijing Normal University

In recent year, a couple of cases were brought to the court regarding stealing the visual property (such as weapons, helmets) generated from the visual games or created in the visual communities. It is difficult to draw a line between the so-called visual property and the other intangible property, but misappropriation of the visual property is hardly an intellectual property infringement.

The most popular instant message system “QQ” (whose logo is two cute penguins) is suing a large online auction site “Tao Bao” (looking for your fortune) for infringing copyright by allowing the users to sell QQ numbers and Q currency on its platform. Meanwhile, Tao Bao brought a non-infringement suit in another court against QQ. QQ (previously called OICQ) was developed initially as the Chinese version of the ICQ.
http://tech.sina.com.cn/i/2007-01-15/06461334645.shtml

Visual crimes are drawing people’s attention.

http://it.sohu.com/20070612/n250514560.shtml

Chongqing High Court finally dismissed an artist’s claim that another artist copied his creation manner in a paint titled “Chongqing Bombarded”. Idea/expression dichotomy is held in the ruling.

http://www.cnradio.com.cn/news/200701/t20070102_504366795.html

Different from the normal affirmative and even supporting attitude toward the enactment of a new legislation, Chinese governmental media seems unanimously denouncing both the effectiveness and the motive of the new Online Music Regulations that were just released by the Ministry of Culture. It’s a signal that the media that is keen of exploring the online chance is fed up with the regulations matrix on the Internet.

http://www.shanghaidaily.com/art/2006/12/18/300138/Online_music_regulation_questioned.htm

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 It has already withdrawn from Taiwan and Japan market.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

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