@mike4g_air
I agree. People are waking up and moving out of China rather then going to it. If there is no way to protect your business from these copying, stealing thieves then it's best to not start a business here.
I wonder how things would turn out if it's a foreigner who opens a business that extensively copies a successful local one.
@yankee00 - interesting question but I wonder what they would copy. Yunnan business doesn't seem particularly innovative or even forward thinking. If it were to happen I doubt the courts would take long to decide against the foreigner(s). Vigilante justice would probably arrive before then.
What has China invented in the last 50 years that has been copied? They don't invent they modify and claim it as their own. There is no respect for inventors in China. When they see something innovative the first question on their minds is: How can I copy this and do it cheaper?
Ha.Ha.
I know China invented firecrackers, tea, the erhu but that was thousands of years ago. What happened?
The Chinese invented a tea making method. But most western people rarely drink green tea. The infusion of leaves is and was always common to many countries apart from China. Lots of stringed instruments across the world, I don't think anyone has copied the erhu. But gun powder became very useful when its real potential was realised, by a foreigner.
Other useful inventions include the compass, and arguably the mirror.
What happened? Maybe something to do with feudalism. If you had something worthwhile, someone more powerful than you would just take it. If you had a smart idea, your 'betters' would take all the credit. Either way, what is the point.
maybe matt will copy mixian
Does anybody think that we'd be better off if tea, firecrackers, compasses, mirrors and the erhu were the private property of the inventors?
Inventors, songwriters, etc. have a finite amount of time to profit from their inventions. That is why they have patents and copyright laws. Once the patent runs out anyone can produce the product. Once the copyright is expired, anyone can copy or perform without paying a penny.
@liumingke: You use the word 'profit', but ok, never mind: the question remains how much time or 'profit' should that be, and how it might be decided upon?
It is decided upon by established legal practice, for time and to a lesser degree for profit. There are market forces, and market regulations. Companies decide upon their own pricing strategies (affects profit) but still need to fit in with market regulations where they exist.
