Intellectual Property Rights in China: The Changing Political Economy of Chinese-American Interests

Summer La Croix, and Denise Eby Konan

2/25/2015
(Original Publish Date: 2002)

We review the evolution of modern Chinese intellectual property right (IPR) laws and enforcement and explore economic and political forces involved in international conflicts over Chinese IPR protection. Our analysis considers why the U.S. and China moved from conflict to cooperation over intellectual property rights. Structural and institutional aspects of the political economy of IPRs within each country are considered, and data on Chinese-U.S. trade in intellectual property-intensive goods are examined. We conclude that although enforcement if IPRs within China continues to be relatively weak, Chinese IPR institutions are converging on those in the OECD nations.