The Great Disconnect: Laws versus Enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights in China

Abstract

This paper explores the benefits of intellectual property rights in China, but lacks a metric to test variables against IPR protection strength. Instead the author looks at China?s past attitude in IPR trade relations, the current situation in China, and the future outlook. China has been dragging its feet during past IPR trade relations, and shows no reason to discontinue this strategy. China?s decentralized government results in a tenuous IPR protection regime because local incentives clash with national law.