China’s State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) has announced plans to use technology in its major operations to intensify the crackdown on counterfeits and improve intellectual property protection.
The promise, made by SAMR official Tong Bo (via China daily), came amid debate about the government’s efforts to protect against intellectual property rights violations.
Bo stated that SAMR “strives to improve our ability to detect and identify IP violations” by using technologies such as cloud computing and mobile networking to help identify IP violations.
China tackles infringements of intellectual property rights
Last June, SAMR, together with the Ministry of Public Security and the Chinese National Intellectual Property Administration, launched a major crackdown on online IP infringements. The initiative was intended to regulate the market and ensure that internet platforms met their regulatory responsibilities.
Since then, more than 27,000 online IP infringement cases have been filed, according to Bo, of which 267 have been referred to public security agencies for further investigation.
Bo also noted that 1,374 websites involved in such activities have been shut down, and another 7,390 online stores have been ordered to suspend their platform services after being found violating regulations.
Emphasizing that efforts are ongoing, Bo stated that the regulator has continued to intensify its efforts to protect intellectual property and combat counterfeits, citing that the government’s job is not over and that more can be done to tackle the problem.
SAMR’s increased focus on integrating technology into its law enforcement strategies signals China’s commitment to protecting its markets, but initial early information makes no mention of artificial intelligence.
The Republic is subject to numerous restrictions and bans from the US and others regarding the import and export of computer components such as processors, which play a major role in the rollout of AI. In response to global geopolitical tensions, China has now turned its attention to developing its own products.