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disney world

The Great Walt


Of China
china’s casual attitude toward other copyrighted
product piracy costs foreign brands properties. Disney
billions of dollars, has drawn withering lawyers, not amused,
international criticism, and prompted contacted Beijing’s
the U.S. to file a complaint with the Copyright Bureau,
World Trade Organization last month. pointing out that the park
Yet when a YouTube video clip of a has no contractual rights
Beijing area amusement park stocked to use the entertainment
with Walt Disney -like characters hit the giant’s characters.
Internet —and caught Disney’s eye— Since then Shijingshan
Beijing took notice. park officials have shijingshan
This isn’t the sort of publicity China “enacted emergency Snow White by
wants right now as measures” to resolve any other name
Vice-Premier Wu Yi The U.S. is the matter, according
leads a trade mission already to the bureau’s deputy director, Wang running. Park General Manager Liu
to Washington on peeved with Yefei. Even the Foreign Affairs Ministry Jingwang said he didn’t understand all
May 22-24. Waiting weighed in, during a May 10 press the fuss. “We have our own mascots,”
for her there: U.S. China over briefing usually devoted to weightier he said. “We don’t need to imitate other
anger over the trade issues matters. “We have noticed the media people.” Disney officials seem satisfied
mainland’s big trade report,” said spokeswoman Jiang Yu, for now. “The protection of intellectual
surplus, restrictive currency policy, and adding that while attention focused on property and the guarantee of a quality
intellectual-property rip-offs. the fake Disneyland, “there are signs Disney experience for consumers is
The Disney trouble started when a that not only are foreign brands such vital to our business,” said Disney Asia
Japanese tv news crew visited Beijing’s as Disney being hurt by copyright spokeswoman Alannah Goss in an e-
Shijingshan Amusement Park during infringement, but also Chinese brands.” mail statement to BusinessWeek, adding
China’s spring holidays in early May By May 12, there were no Disney- that “we appreciate the efforts of the
and shot footage of characters that like creatures at the park, though Beijing Copyright Bureau in dealing
looked just like Mickey and Minnie attractions with titles like Star Wars and with this situation.”
Mouse, Snow White, Hello Kitty, and the Adventure of Cinderella were still –Chi-Chu Tschang and Ron Grover

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16 | BusinessWeek | , 2007

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