Deputy Director General of World Intellectual Property Organization, Geoffrey Yu, said in Beijing on Tuesday other countries need to give China credit for its hard and effective work on copyright protection.

"I think that China needs understanding and certainly they should know the Chinese authorities have been working very hard to protect other people's copyright. I also realize it's a very big country with a huge population, so the situation is complex and needs special attention," the Singaporean told reporters at the 2006 International Copyright Forum.

"The problem happens in all countries, not just in developing countries," he added

Piracy has been a serious issue in China which has been sharply criticized by other countries.

A national survey released by the China Publication Science Institute on Aug. 31 showed that 45.5 percent of publications sold in China in 2005 were pirated. The survey showed that number represents the first decline in publication piracy rate in six years.

The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry and the Motion Picture Association of America sent letters to the National Copyright Administration (NCA) early this year praising a special operation to crush Internet infringement and piracy as "hard but effective."

They also expressed their hopes for enhanced cooperation with the NCA, which closed 76 websites, confiscated 39 servers used for piracy and ordered 137 websites in an operation carried out between September and December last year.

Yu said the most effective measure to curb piracy in China, in the long term, is public education. A short term solution is proper law enforcement, Yu suggested.

"All governments can continue to be active or even more active in promoting copyright awareness among consumers. The mass media can broadcast more messages about copyright to young people," he added.

China is currently waging a 100-day campaign to investigate and shut down institutions engaged in producing, selling or renting pirated audio-video products and computer software.

Source: Xinhua