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US Keeps China, Puts Canada on IP Priority Watch List (reuters.com)

Posted by msmash on from the tussle-continues dept.

The Trump administration on Friday labeled 36 countries as inadequately protecting U.S. intellectual property rights, keeping China on a priority watch list and adding Canada over concerns about its border controls and pharmaceutical practices. From a report: The U.S. Trade Representative's annual report on global IP concerns is separate from the "Section 301" report on Chinese technology transfer practices that has led the world's two largest economies to threaten each other with tariffs. The so-called "Special 301 Report on Intellectual Property Rights" calls out China for its "coercive technology transfer practices" and "trade secret theft, rampant online piracy, and counterfeit manufacturing." It was the 14th straight year that China was placed on the "Priority Watch List." U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer is due to travel to China next week along with other senior Trump administration officials for talks on U.S. demands for changes in Beijing's trade and intellectual property policies.

11 of 183 comments (clear)

  1. That's OK ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    That's, OK, you're on our "assholes to try to stop doing business with" list.

    So sorry we won't put our national sovereignty and our own legally enshrined rights behind those of asshole corporations -- as much as that's what they've paid your leaders to try to do.

    It won't be long before the US shoots themselves in the foot and starts losing trade as other countries decide putting up with your bullshit isn't worth the effort.

    But keep on trying to act like we all need you and are willing to sign terrible deals to have the privilege of trading with you.

  2. Re:Badge of Honour by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    In the case of Canada's pharmaceutical practices, they result in prices so cheap that many Americans travel to Canada to obtain drugs. This smacks of corporate cronyism steering Trump's decisions. Drain the swamp... my ass.

  3. Canadian Pharmaceutical Practices? by foxalopex · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I'm going to assume this has something to do with generic drugs? I guess drug companies in the US are more concerned about making a buck than actually helping people. In Canada, most essential drugs have a generic or no-name equivalent which is often cheaper than the brand name drug and works just as well. I sure hope that isn't their complaint because that particular law makes drugs cheaper for the folks who need it.

    1. Re:Canadian Pharmaceutical Practices? by sinij · · Score: 5, Interesting

      I guess this more to do with refusal to implement Mickey Mouse laws. Many things go into public domain much earlier in Canada than in USA. Also, there are Canadian laws that cap consumer liability for pirating to $5K or so, as a result RIAA bankrupt-you lawsuits are not possible.

    2. Re:Canadian Pharmaceutical Practices? by foxalopex · · Score: 5, Informative

      Actually when it comes to downloaded pirated videos, there's almost no way for content providers to come after you in Canada. In Canada, content providers are never provided the address or personal information of a subscriber because doing so would be a breach of Privacy. They actually need to be granted a search warrant first which is expensive and time consuming. All ISP's do is forward any warning messages from Content Providers to subscribers but there's no real obligation for a subscriber to do anything other than to toss it in the trash.

    3. Re:Canadian Pharmaceutical Practices? by AnthonywC · · Score: 5, Informative

      Because in Canada they actually care more about the common people interests versus big corporations; which is what democracy should strive to be, politicians voted in by the public should actually look after common people's interest. I'd argue it is even common sense that RIAA or whatever big corporation interest group should not have the power to bankrupt an average consumer who is not commercially profiting, but again in Canada it is also quite unheard of for someone to go bankrupt due to medical issue either.

  4. Canada's border controls? by dstyle5 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Which country is letting large numbers of immigrants illegally cross the border into Quebec and Manitoba the past few years? President Trump doesn't seem to concerned about stopping that from happening. Our current government is also part of the problem.

    As for the "pharmaceutical practices" I don't know about IP issues, but I know the cost of drugs here isn't nearly as ridiculous as things are becoming in the U.S. Sorry we aren't letting drug companies rip off people as badly as they do in your country, Mr. President.

    1. Re:Canada's border controls? by c · · Score: 5, Funny

      Canada should build a wall and send the bill to Trump.

      Nice try, but we'll wait until you elect someone who actually pays his bills.

      --
      Log in or piss off.
  5. Re:Badge of Honour by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    Ironically enough the countries on the list don't innovate anything, they just steal other's work. Developing drugs costs money. None of the breakthoughs would exists without a profit motive.

    I call bullshit - many many breakthroughs were made by scientists doing 'pure' science. We would NEVER have had, for one random example, lasers, if there had been a profit requirement behind the scientists doing the fundamental science that made it possible.

  6. Re:Badge of Honour by Opportunist · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Not at the time they were invented, no. Lasers were originally conceived and the foundation for them laid down in the 1920s. It took until the 1980s when they were actually something you could market.

    You think any company invests into something with a 60 years development period?

    --
    We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
  7. pesky job killing regulations by sdinfoserv · · Score: 5, Informative

    This is yet another tale of corporate oligarchy extracting their government sponsored payola.
    A pain killer that as $138 in 2013 is now $2979 (http://money.cnn.com/2018/02/15/investing/drug-prices-vimovo-horizon-painkiller/index.html )
    https://www.chausa.org/publica...

    This is how they (the GOP) will ultimately kill medicare.
    If we ever want to bring health care costs, and being care to the masses, these companies must be broken. This is no longer about profit but gouging. The only way to get this country back is campaign finance reform.