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The Unauthorized State-Owned Chinese Disneyland
rmnoon writes "Apparently Japanese TV and bloggers have just discovered Disney's theme park in China, where young children can be part of the Magic Kingdom and interact with their favorite characters (like Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, and the Seven Dwarfs). The park's slogan is 'Because Disneyland is Too Far,' and there's even an Epcot-like dome. The only problem? Disney didn't build it, and they didn't authorize it. What's more? It's state-owned!"
Here's a picture from 10 April. Look at #2.
Today, Disney. Tomorrow, GM.
Errr, you meant: Today, Disney. Today GM. China's been accused of 'Auto Piracy' already.
Get used to it
Yup.
There are shills on slashdot. Apparently, I'm one of them.
Actually I hope you're already used to it. GM already lost a case - several years ago - where a Chinese manufacturer ripped off, bolt-for-bolt, panel-for-panel, an entire car and then released it to market BEFORE GM did! Brazen as hell. Toyota has also had problems in China for theft and such. I think when foreigners wake up to the fact that there's not really that much money to be made in China they might not be so enthusiastic about jumping in. For instance, huge numbers of cars are made over there, but everyone's killing each other on price. The Chinese are happy about it (they get new factories, trained workers, cars, etc.), but I don't think the foreigners are making any money.
Plus, as I referenced yesterday when commenting on this alarmist post about how the US may soon have "no comparative advantage" - China is not all it's cracked up to be.
Thing is, no one's making money in China, except for a few well-positioned people who can grease the right wheels. Nothing to see here, move along, it's the same old mercantilism and cronyism we find in all non-free markets. The sheer balls of the park manager telling the camerman they "newly invented" the characters ("It's not a mouse, it's a cat with big ears!") is classic.
This guy should be the new Iraqi Information Minister.
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learnjapanese.poddedcell.net -- Step Up Nihongo, learn Japanese
Actually, IKEA is Swedish, started in Älmhult.
Here's the official English web page for the park:a sp
http://www.bs-amusement-park.com/ChinaIn/about-e.
To be honest, it wouldn't have been to hard to "discover" the park. It's connected to the Beijing subway, it's been open since 1986, and it's rated as a AAAA tourist attraction.
China's Copyright term is 50 years from publication (for corporations) or life of the author plus fifty years.
2 0020416_34754.htm
China's Copyright Law - Article 21. http://www.sipo.gov.cn/sipo_English/flfg/xgflfg/t
EU and American copyright laws only apply within the borders of those nations and no international treaty requires a term of more than 50 years for copyright. Therefore the CTEA aka Sono Bono Copyright Act aka Mickey Mouse Protection Act, are irrelevant in China.
The characters (mickey mouse, donald duck, etc) are in the public domain in China. As for shreik, Hello Kitty, and other newer characters which can also be see in the pictures, i don't know their exact creation dates; but if it is post 1957, the park infringes on the copyright of their creators.
Here it is: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jungle_Taitei