BEIJING has been struck by a desperate shortage of pirated DVDs, clothes and handbags.
The city's popular DVD stores, usually stacked with $1 copies of new release films including some that haven't been officially distributed in China, have been stripped bare aside from a dusty assortment of old Audrey Hepburn movies.
Shopkeepers at Beijing's Silk Market, with 1500 stalls, have replaced walls of Polo shirts and Abercrombie & Fitch jumpers with "I Love Beijing" T-shirts, while the trade in fake international brands has been confined to the boots of cars outside.
Thankfully, from the point of view of store owners and illicit bargain hunters and despite a banner above the market's entry that translates as "attack IP violating behaviour safeguard market economy order" the usual counterfeit stocks will be back on the shelves as soon as international delegates to a major intellectual property conference have safely returned home.
"Come back on the 30th," said one shop assistant at the Silk Market, who normally stocks fake Polo shirts.
The reason for the empty shelves and Potemkin displays is that Beijing has been hosting the World Intellectual Property Convention where delegates signed the Beijing Treaty on Protecting Audiovisual Performances. Liu Qi, Politburo member and Beijing Party boss, said it was the pride of Beijing.
"Respect for intellectual property is a must," he said after the convention closed yesterday. "We will grasp this opportunity to further strengthen intellectual property and build Beijing as the first city of IP."
True to his word, in the high-end designer section of the Zoo Markets, store owners were carefully picking the labels off what looked like designer dresses and storing them in bags.
Labels for Prada, Gucci, Hermes, Lanvin, Chloe, Givenchy and Diane von Furstenberg were bagged and stored against the counter, ready to be sewn back on after the convention delegates return home.
A customer returned to buy the same black Phillip Lim dress she bought two weeks earlier, for 360 yuan ($A56) rather than the 4000 yuan price advertised on the Chinese online shopping site Taobao, and was sold the same dress for the same price but with the label removed.
International visitors have been kicking themselves for not checking the intellectual property conference calendar before planning their travel dates.
"I asked at the Silk Market why there was no Prada or Mulberry," said New Zealander Kristin Cook, after showing visitors around the city. "They told me this is the week of the big meeting, and until the meeting was over they couldn't sell any international brands."
Her guests were similarly disappointed at her favourite DVD stores and Hongqiao Market.
"At Hongqiao they said there's big trouble this week, come back next week," she said. "So we went to the Great Wall instead."
The pirating of fashion labels and cultural content upsets multinational companies but raises little concern among citizens in China. Mass outbreaks of fake food, counterfeit medicine and adulterated milk, on the other hand, cause outrage.
The minister in charge of the National Copyright Administration of China, Liu Minjie, praised conference delegates for their "spirit of co-operation, flexibility and pragmatism". Francis Gurry, director-general of the World Intellectual Property Organisation, praised China for "outstanding organisation".
Frequently Asked Questions about this Article…
What happened to pirated DVDs and counterfeit designer goods in Beijing during the World Intellectual Property Convention?
During the convention Beijing shops that normally sell pirated DVDs and fake designer items emptied their shelves. Popular DVD stores were stripped bare and stalls at places like the Silk Market removed international-brand clothing from display or confined trade to car boots while the conference took place.
Which designer brands and products were reported as affected by the temporary crackdown on counterfeit goods?
The article mentions counterfeit labels for brands such as Prada, Gucci, Hermès, Lanvin, Chloé, Givenchy, Diane von Furstenberg, Polo and Abercrombie & Fitch. It also cites a Phillip Lim dress example and notes the usual trade in cheap DVDs and branded handbags.
Why were shopkeepers in Beijing removing labels and hiding counterfeit stock during the IP conference?
Shopkeepers removed labels and bagged counterfeit goods to avoid selling obvious fakes while international delegates were in the city for the World Intellectual Property Convention. Many said the counterfeit stocks would be put back on sale after delegates left.
Is the emptying of counterfeit stalls likely to be permanent or temporary?
The article indicates the change was temporary. Several shop assistants openly said the usual counterfeit stocks would return after the delegates went home, with one telling customers to 'come back on the 30th.'
What is the Beijing Treaty mentioned in the article and why does it matter to investors in media and entertainment?
Delegates at the convention signed the Beijing Treaty on Protecting Audiovisual Performances, a measure aimed at strengthening protection for performers and audiovisual content. For investors in media and entertainment, stronger intellectual property protection can matter because it influences rights, revenue streams and corporate concerns about piracy.
How did Chinese officials and international organisations react to the World Intellectual Property Convention in Beijing?
Beijing Party boss Liu Qi praised the convention as a point of pride and emphasized respect for intellectual property. Liu Minjie of the National Copyright Administration commended delegates for cooperation, and Francis Gurry, director-general of the World Intellectual Property Organization, praised China's organisation of the event.
Do Chinese consumers care about counterfeit fashion and media the same way they react to fake food or medicine?
According to the article, pirating of fashion labels and cultural content upsets multinational companies but raises little concern among many Chinese citizens. In contrast, mass outbreaks of fake food, counterfeit medicine and adulterated milk provoke public outrage.
What practical lessons should everyday investors or travellers take from Beijing's temporary IP enforcement?
For travellers: checking major event calendars (like an international IP convention) can help avoid disappointment if certain goods are temporarily unavailable. For everyday investors: short-term enforcement actions can affect local retail availability and public sentiment toward brands, so monitoring IP enforcement and regulatory events can be useful when assessing risks for consumer-branded or media companies.
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