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China recently announced two measures to tackle the problem of counterfeiting. In a press conference on September 6, China's State Intellectual Property Office announced that the Supreme People's Court and Supreme People's Procuratorate have drafted a new Judicial Interpretation that will lower the thresholds for bringing criminal action against IP infringement in China. This is to be issued by the end of this year, once it has been approved. The threshold is presently set at Rmb 500,000 and Rmb 100,000 for corporate and individual offenders respectively. In addition, the Interpretation will include guidelines for punishing online copyright infringement and other infringing activities such as transporting, storing and distributing infringing goods.

While eager to do business in China, many foreign investors remain concerned about the lack of protection and enforcement of IP rights. In a special roundtable debate organized by MIP, leading figures discuss how to succeed and what needs to change in the country

A court victory by peer-to-peer networks against copyright holders may lead to the passage of an Act that would stunt technological progress. Michael R Graham argues against a hasty extension to US copyright law

James Nurton and Stéphanie Bodoni, London

The USPTO has sent one of its advisers to the US Embassy in Beijing to persuade the Chinese government to take tougher action on IP infringement.

Product designs can be protected by copyright and unregistered design right in the UK. But Paul Cox and Debbie Kohner examine whether there is a gap in protection, following the recent Lambretta decision

Stéphanie Bodoni, London

The statute governing patent law in the UK, the Patents Act 1977, is being amended. The amending legislation, the Patents Act 2004, received Royal Assent on 22 July and is expected to be brought into force shortly.

Early decisions on domain names in Korea provided rights owners with mixed results. But Tae-Yeon Cho and Ik-Hyun Seo of Cho & Partners in Seoul argue that new laws will be more effective in deterring cybersquatters

Jang Won Park and Seong Taik Kim of Park, Kim & Partner in Seoul examine the options available to trade mark owners who suspect that someone else has registered their mark