Since its accession to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in December
2001, China has been committed to full compliance with the Trade-Related
Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) Agreement. This text considers the
development of intellectual property in China, and offers an
interdisciplinary analysis of China's compliance with the TRIPS
Agreement using theories originating in international relations and law.
It notes that despite significant efforts to amend China's substantive
IP laws to prepare for WTO accession and sweeping changes to domestic
legislation, a significant gap existed between the laws on paper and as
enforced in practice, and that infringements to the agreement are still
prevalent. The book examines how compliance with international rules can
be promoted and encouraged in a specific jurisdiction. Making a case for
a wider, more interdisciplinary and global outlook, it contends that
compliance needs to align with the national interests of relevant
countries and jurisdictions, as governments' economic interests support
the greater enforcement of the IP laws.