China to make details of counterfeit cases public

China is to make details of intellectual property right (IPR) violations public once they have passed through the legal system in a bid to increase transparency.

The Chinese State Council outlined the plan after meeting this week. Once the legalities of a counterfeiting case are resolved, law enforcement is to disclose details of the crime, the evidence to support it and any penalties handed out.

China is trying to change its image as a closed, secretive state by promising to make government information more transparent. In the case of IPR violations and counterfeiting, China expects the sharing of details to speed product quality improvements and innovation while boosting consumer confidence.

Supervision of the program falls on local governments. The State Council is encouraging these local bodies to strengthen systems to ensure law enforcement agencies are fulfilling their new information disclosure responsibilities.

Earlier this year the United Nations (UN) reported 70 per cent of counterfeits seized globally originate in China. The country and its leading companies, notably e-commerce giant Alibaba, have spoken of the need to tackle the problem.