THIS ONE COMES from the unintended irony department: The CCP has launched a campaign cracking down on counterfeits (China is the biggest nation of counterfeits in the world, and the last few decades of industrialization was built primarily on the back of monumental counterfeiting), and included in one actually unique Chinese product: the Confucius Institute.
From the "People's" Daily Online:
A press conference about fighting against products that infringe on trademarks was held on July 28. It said that the special campaign for fighting against counterfeiting has counted lots of achievements since last October: The national industry and commerce system has destroyed nearly 5,000 counterfeiting operations and revoked 1,745 business licenses.
Fu Shuangjian, the director of State Administration of Industry and Commerce, said that preemptive registrations have been contained at this time. The typical cases like the Zhenjiang Aromatic Vinegar brand and the Confucius Institute have all been solved successfully. At the same time, foreign trademarks and known trademarks have been protected effectively.
Can't argue with the statement about protecting the brand of CIs (let's face it, no one would try to steal that); but protecting foreign trademarks? What!?
1. Is this beneficial for business, cultural understanding, peace, etc..? 2. Or a blight on American society? 3.. What if it's paid for by the PRC government through Confucius Institutes?