Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06GUANGZHOU27729
2006-08-17 07:00:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Consulate Guangzhou
Cable title:  

Normalized Piracy: A Glimpse at DVD Shops in

Tags:  KIPR ECON CH 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO2650
RR RUEHCN RUEHGH RUEHVC
DE RUEHGZ #7729 2290700
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 170700Z AUG 06
FM AMCONSUL GUANGZHOU
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0971
RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE
RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RUEKJCS/DIA WASHDC
RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI
UNCLAS GUANGZHOU 027729 

SIPDIS

USDOC FOR 4420/ITA/MAC/MCQUEEN, DAS LEVINE
STATE FOR EB/TPP MASSINGA, FELSING
STATE PASS COPYRIGHT FOR TEPP
STATE PASS USPTO FOR DUDAS, BROWNING, BOLAND, ANTHONY, NESS
STATE PASS USTR FOR MENDENHALL, MCCOY, ESPINEL, CELICO
USDOJ FOR SUSSMAN
DHS/CPP FOR PIZZECK
USPACOM FOR FPA

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KIPR ECON CH
SUBJECT: Normalized Piracy: A Glimpse at DVD Shops in
Guangzhou


(U) This message is sensitive but unclassified. Please
handle accordingly.

UNCLAS GUANGZHOU 027729

SIPDIS

USDOC FOR 4420/ITA/MAC/MCQUEEN, DAS LEVINE
STATE FOR EB/TPP MASSINGA, FELSING
STATE PASS COPYRIGHT FOR TEPP
STATE PASS USPTO FOR DUDAS, BROWNING, BOLAND, ANTHONY, NESS
STATE PASS USTR FOR MENDENHALL, MCCOY, ESPINEL, CELICO
USDOJ FOR SUSSMAN
DHS/CPP FOR PIZZECK
USPACOM FOR FPA

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KIPR ECON CH
SUBJECT: Normalized Piracy: A Glimpse at DVD Shops in
Guangzhou


(U) This message is sensitive but unclassified. Please
handle accordingly.


1. (SBU) Summary. A recent visit to a number of Guangzhou
stores selling pirated DVDs showed how embedded the industry
is in the Chinese economy. The relative ease with which
these stores operate indicates that, at least in Guangzhou,
recent crackdowns have not acted as a deterrent. End
summary.


2. (SBU) On August 5, Econ/Pol intern visited a number of
Guangzhou stores selling pirated DVDs, listed in a guide to
the city. The small stores, located amongst other stores on
the ground floor of apartment building, had lists of DVDs
with accompanying cover photos but without explanations of
the films' plots. Once a customer has made his selections,
an employee goes up to an apartment where the DVDs are
stored to fetch them. Customers are often invited up to
apartments to browse the selection directly; this happened
to Econ/Pol intern in two stores.


3. (SBU) Both apartments that Econ/Pol intern visited were
people's homes on upper floors of the same building, which
doubled as storage spaces for DVDs. In both, the DVDs were
located in spare rooms. In the first apartment, a woman and
her daughter, probably about eight years old, attended the
approximately five customers. In the other, a woman and a
man who appeared to be in their twenties attended the
approximately ten customers. Each store had a large number
of DVDs, about 2000 to 4000. According to the employees,
both stores have been in existence for over ten years.

Comment
--------------

4. (SBU) This visit revealed how the illegal practice of
selling counterfeit DVDs has become normalized for many
Chinese. The shops at the ground level of the apartment
were situated among stores selling other goods, and during
this visit a policeman stood nearby. The businesses do not
need to keep on the move or remain underground; they have
been in the same spot for over ten years. In addition, it
is noteworthy that enforcement against the ground floor
shops would have no impact, since the actual product is
located elsewhere. This practice, which Congenoffs have
also encountered in Shenzhen, allows the shops to be in a
prominent location without risk of being shut down. It's
likely that this tactic is the result of previous
crackdowns, and in past years the ground floor shops may
have held the actual merchandise. Nevertheless, for these
shopkeepers the pirated-DVD business does not have the air
of illegality that Westerners normally associate with it.
End comment.

MARTIN