Cracking Down China Confiscates Pirated Cds, Computer Software

Chinese authorities confiscated more than 350,000 pirated CDs, laser discs and computer software items last month, Chinese media reported Wednesday as a new round of U.S.-China talks on piracy began.

The trading partners have threatened a trade war over U.S. demands that China improve protection of copyrights, trademarks and patents - called intellectual property rights.

Unless China takes decisive action to curb piracy by Feb. 26, Washington plans to impose punitive 100 percent tariffs on more than $1 billion of Chinese exports. China has said that it will retaliate with sanctions of its own.

Nearly 360,000 pirated products were seized in raids in late January, including 75,000 compact discs and an undisclosed number of laser discs and computer software, the People’s Daily and other newspapers said.

A U.S. Embassy spokesman said Wednesday the talks were “frank and amicable,” but that a large number of issues still needed to be resolved. The talks resume today.

The official Xinhua News Agency, in a two-paragraph report on the talks, said both sides “expressed readiness to take a pragmatic attitude” and were willing to resolve differences.