Chinese Smart Car Copy May Hit European Markets Soon | Business | Deutsche Welle | 16.10.2006
Last month, 13 million illegal videos and CDs were destroyed in China as a symbolic rejection of copyright violation. But now it seems that copying has been taken to the next level. A duplicate version of the Smart fortwo has been produced by the Chinese company CMEC in the city of Suzhou and has already appeared in Hungary and Great Britain. Starting in 2007, it is to be sold for $5,250 under the name City Smart.
Copyright is a culture-specific concept. And it is not a concept that much of Asia shares with the West. If someone had a great idea, you copy it. That is how one learns after all. What will be interesting to watch is what is bound to happen eventually – when a Chinese company builds an original car (furniture, computer or popsong) that is so popular world-wide that, say, a company in Africa copies it… will China allow the copying then?
HERE is a link to the history of copyright law, which started with the Statue of Anne in Britain 300 years ago.
Ottmar, in Australia the copyright laws might be channging. If they do it will be illigal to carry a cell phone and an ipod.