1. Beijing
Digital publishing zone added to Beijing Book Fair
A digital publication area will debut at this year's Beijing Book Fair scheduled to begin at the China International Exhibition Center on Jan 9.
It will offer research on the current state of China's digital publishing, analysis of industry problems and a venue for exchange of solutions to further development.
A symposium on copyright disputes is also expected to offer insights into healthy growth of the industry.
Nearly 650 exhibitors have booked more than 2,400 booths, 132 more than last year.
China Press and Publishing Journal
Patents attract 3 million yuan at first large-scale auction
Eight companies won bids for 28 invention and utility patents worth a combined total of nearly 3 million yuan ($450,000) at an auction on Dec 16.
Ninety high-tech patents offered at the auction included those in information technology, wireless communication, data security, networking of everyday appliances and high-performance computing.
All the patents were developed by the Chinese Academy of Science's Institute of Computing Technology.
It was the first time that a single professional scientific research institution held such a large-scale patent auction.
China Intellectual Property News
US producers want copyright for latest Chinese blockbuster
Chinese blockbuster film Let the Bullets Fly has attracted attention of US producers. According to Ma Ke, "three or four" Hollywood companies want to buy the film's copyright for adaptation.
Offering more than $10 million, the foreign buyers still want Jiang Wen, director and leading actor, to direct the film's overseas version, Ma said.
Since it was released in mid-December, the film has generated more than 500 million yuan, or about $75.7 million, in ticket revenue.
Beijing News and Mobile Paper
2. Chongqing
Fake Yamaha parts seized, 10 suspects arrested
Fake Yamaha motorcycle components worth more than 2 million yuan ($300,000) were seized at a market in Shapingba district recently and 10 suspects arrested for sale of counterfeits.
The sellers brought in fake parts from varied locations and then pasted on the Yamaha logo for resale.
A true Yamaha muffler is priced at around 300 yuan, yet a fake costs only 60 yuan wholesale.
One of the arrested suspects alone might earn nearly 2 million yuan annually, according to local police.
Not only illegal, the fake parts are also dangerous, said Guo Kunsheng, a local police officer.
"The infringement does damage not only to legal interests, but is also likely to result in road accidents due to inferior quality," Guo said.
The case is now under further investigation.
Xinhuanet
3. Guangxi
Nanning authorities roll up printer cartridge operation
Nanning authorities recently seized equipment and more than 30,000 fake packages to make as counterfeited branded printer cartridges.
The site where packaging materials were made was in the business of printing sales literature and financial documents, according to its business license.
Yet during a recent raid in Guangdong province, packaging for fake Canon printers were found to have been made at the operation in Nanning.
Guangxi News
4. Guangdong
Sixth grader has 15 patents, named to science academy
With 15 patented inventions, sixth-grade student Zhuang Yeyang from Shenzhen has been elected a member of the Junior Academy of Sciences.
The juvenile academic's school was also named as a model base for popularizing science.
The academy was founded in 1999 as a nonprofit organization to promote science and technology among teenagers. Thirteen young tech experts received the honor the first year.
Nanfang Daily
5. Taiwan
First reciprocal cross-Straits copyright agreement inked
Writers on the Chinese mainland are expected to collect royalties from Taiwan this year, according to an agreement between the China Written Works Copyright Society and China Audio-Video Copyright Association in Taiwan.
From 2011, the Taiwan organization is authorized to collect royalties from higher learning institutes and copy shops for copying books by mainland writers and file suit against those that do not pay.
It is the first reciprocal cross-Straits copyright agreement.
Wenhui Daily
(China Daily 01/05/2011 page17)
