The Association of American Publishers (AAP) and the Publishers Association of the UK (PA) have applauded the issuance of administrative Punishment Decisions (PDs) against three universities in China's Hubei and Shan'xi provinces for the illegal reproduction of thousands of books without permission of the copyright owners. The books, many of which are published by AAP and PA member companies, were primarily professional, medical, scientific and technical titles.
The PDs follow successful raids by provincial copyright authorities earlier this year carried out with the cooperation of right holder representatives and national authorities. The targeted universities were Wuhan University and Wuhan Huazhong University in the Hubei province and Jiaotong University in Xi'an in the Shan'xi province.
In a judgment announced recently, Hubei authorities fined Wuhan University $6,800 and ordered the destruction of 5,324 books seized in the April 2007 raid. The Bureau also instructed the university to cease all infringement. This follows a similar order issued on October 28, fining Wuhan Huazhong University $680 as a result of a smaller seizure. That decision also ordered the destruction of all infringing copies and an end to illegal activity.
The Shan'xi provincial authorities issued a PD against Xi'an Jiaotong University, only a few weeks after an early October raid. The decision, dated October 25, ordered destruction of the 1,916 copies seized, directed the university to cease all infringing activity and imposed a fine of $4060.
The Publishers Association is the leading trade organisation serving book, journal and electronic publishers in the UK. It brings publishers together to discuss the main issues facing the industry and to define the practical policies that will take the industry forward. The association seeks to serve and promote by all lawful means the interest of book journal and electronic publishers and to protect those interests. AAP and the PA have worked closely with authorities at the national, regional and municipal levels in recent years to ensure that Chinese universities are offering legitimate versions of textbooks to their students.
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