Three major US film studios have filed suit against three Chinese companies alleging copyright violations through the sale of pirated video discs, state press reported yesterday.
In the first action of its kind in Shanghai, Fox Entertainment's Twentieth Century Fox Film Corp, Walt Disney Co and French-owned Vivendi Universal's Universal Studios are seeking a public apology, compensation and a halt to the alleged violations, the Shanghai Daily reported.
The case was heard last week by Shanghai No.2 Intermediate People's Court, the report said.
Yang Jun, a lawyer representing all three companies, told the paper that the plaintiffs had sent staff to the outlets of the three defendants and bought pirated VCDs and DVDs.
"With China's entry to the World Trade Organization, the protection of intellectual property rights must be enhanced," Yang was quoted as saying.
"If piracy is not properly combated, it could hamper the further introduction of good films from abroad and influence the development of the market," Yang said.
Fox is suing Shanghai Hezhong Enterprise Development Co for allegedly selling pirated copies of the fourth series of the television series X Files and is seeking 220,000 yuan (US$26,800) in compensation.
The company is also suing Shanghai Yatu Film Culture for allegedly selling pirated copies of the same title and of Speed 2, demanding 415,000 yuan (US$50,600) in compensation, the report said.
Shanghai Husheng Audio-Visual Co is also in its sights for allegedly selling fake copies of the fourth series of X-Files, and the films Courage Under Fire and Moulin Rouge. Fox wants 615,000 yuan (US$75,000) compensation.
Disney filed its suit against Yatu over alleged pirated copies of A Bug's Life and Dinosaur and is demanding similar compensation.
Meanwhile, Universal has sued Husheng for allegedly selling pirated copies of The Lost World: Jurassic Park and Jurassic Park III It has also sued Hezhong over The Bone Collector and Jurassic Park III.
Chinese law currently allows foreign film companies to seek a maximum 500,000 yuan (US$61,000) in compensation for each title if they are unable to provide exact details on losses or the counterfeiters' profit.
The newspaper cited court officials as saying that both plaintiffs and defendants have agreed to mediation, although there has been no discussion of money.
Beijing’s continued provocations in the Taiwan Strait reveal its intention to unilaterally change the “status quo” in the area, the US Department of State said on Saturday, calling for a peaceful resolution to cross-strait issues. The Coast Guard Administration (CGA) reported that four China Coast Guard patrol vessels entered restricted and prohibited waters near Kinmen County on Friday and again on Saturday. A State Department spokesperson said that Washington was aware of the incidents, and urged all parties to exercise restraint and refrain from unilaterally changing the “status quo.” “Maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait is in line with our [the
EXTENDED RANGE: Hsiung Sheng missiles, 100 of which might be deployed by the end of the year, could reach Chinese command posts and airport runways, a source said A NT$16.9 billion (US$534.93 million) project to upgrade the military’s missile defense systems would be completed this year, allowing the deployment of at least 100 long-range Hsiung Sheng missiles and providing more deterrence against China, military sources said on Saturday. Hsiung Sheng missiles are an extended-range version of the Hsiung Feng IIE (HF-2E) surface-to-surface cruise missile, and are believed to have a range of up to 1,200km, which would allow them to hit targets well inside China. They went into mass production in 2022, the sources said. The project is part of a special budget for the Ministry of National Defense aimed at
READY TO WORK: Taiwan is eager to cooperate and is hopeful that like-minded states will continue to advocate for its inclusion in regional organizations, Lai said Maintaining the “status quo” in the Taiwan Strait, and peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region must be a top priority, president-elect William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday after meeting with a delegation of US academics. Leaders of the G7, US President Joe Biden and other international heads of state have voiced concerns about the situation in the Strait, as stability in the region is necessary for a safe, peaceful and prosperous world, Lai said. The vice president, who is to be inaugurated in May, welcomed the delegation and thanked them for their support for Taiwan and issues concerning the Strait. The international community
COOPERATION: Two crewmembers from a Chinese fishing boat that sank off Kinmen were rescued, two were found dead and another two were still missing at press time The Coast Guard Administration (CGA) was yesterday working with Chinese rescuers to find two missing crewmembers from a Chinese fishing boat that sank southwest of Kinmen County yesterday, killing two crew. The joint operation managed to rescue two of the boat’s six crewmembers, but two were already dead when they were pulled from the water, the agency said in a statement. Rescuers are still searching for two others from the Min Long Yu 61222, a boat registered in China’s Fujian Province that capsized and sank 1.03 nautical miles (1.9km) southwest of Dongding Island (東碇), it added. CGA Director-General Chou Mei-wu (周美伍) told a