China-US Relations Within the Context of Intellectual Property Rights

Abstract

China has been the center of heated debates because of its IP policy for decades. The total disregard of the Chinese government for intellectual property rights (IPR) is estimated to cost hundreds of billions of dollars for the developed countries each year. The US suffers the most, with its losses amounting to approximately $300 billion annually. This paper will discover why China pursues such a policy and what it stands to gain or lose from it. It will be argued that today's IPR laws give too much leverage for developed economies and preclude underdeveloped or developing countries from accessing the technology they need for economic development. The historical precedent by which developed countries deliberately ignored foreigners' intellectual rights will be discussed. Finally, it will be concluded that developed and developing countries should not be held to the same standards in terms of IPR.