XN000022-1984-09-28 — Page 10

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FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 1984

TOUGH ACTION AGAINST PIRACY CONTINUES

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HONG KONG WILL CONTINUE TO TAKE TOUGH ACTION AGAINST COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT TO PROTECT THE INTEREST OF THE RECORDING INDUSTRY AND THE TERRITORY'S TRADING INTEGRITY.

THE ASSURANCE WAS GIVEN BY THE SECRETARY FOR TRADE AND INDUSTRY, MR E.P. HO, TODAY (FRIDAY) AT THE OPENING OF THE SIXTH INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF PHONOGRAM AND VIDEOGRAM PRODUCERS (IFPI) ASIA-PACIFIC REGIONAL COUNCIL MEETING.

PAYING TRIBUTE TO IFPI FOR THE COOPERATION AND ASSISTANCE IT HAS GIVEN TO THE CUSTOMS AND EXCISE SERVICE, MR HO POINTED OUT THAT SOUND RECORDING PIRACY HAD BEEN REDUCED FROM NEARLY 100 PER CENT OF THE MARKET IN THE EARLY SEVENTIES, TO LESS THAN 10 PER CENT TODAY.

+WHILE WE CONTINUE TO MONITOR CLOSELY THE SOUND RECORDING MARKET TO ENSURE THAT THE PREVIOUS PROBLEM IS CONTAINED, WE HAVE TENDED MORE LATELY TO CONCENTRATE MUCH OF OUR EFFORTS AGAINST VIDEO PIRACY WHICH IS PROVING TO BE THE MAJOR COPYRIGHT PROBLEM OF THE EIGHTIES. IN THIS, I KNOW WE CAN CONTINUE TO COUNT ON THE SUPPORT AND ASSISTANCE OF IFPI TO OUR MUTUTAL BENEFIT, MR HO SAID.

HE SAID THAT THERE WERE A NUMBER OF DIFFERENCES LOCALLY IN THE PRODUCTION AND DISTRIBUTION OF PIRATE VIDEO CASSETTES COMPARED WITH THE MAKING AND MARKETING OF PIRATE AUDIO CASSETTES.

+SUCH DIFFERENCES REQUIRE A FRESH APPROACH IN THE METHODS USED BY THE CUSTOMS COPYRIGHT DIVISION. HAPPILY OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS ARE READILY ADAPTABLE AS WELL AS INGENIOUS IN THE METHODS THEY ADOPT. THE IR SUCCESSES BOTH IN THE HINTERLAND AND AT THE ENTRY POINTS INDICATE THAT THEY ARE COPING WELL WITH ANY NEW PROBLEMS AS THEY ARISE,

+AS SECRETARY FOR TRADE AND INDUSTRY, I AM PARTICULARLY CONCERNED AS TO HONG KONG'S TRADING IMAGE. THOSE ELSEWHERE WHO LOOK WITH ENVY AT THE SUCCESS OF HONG KONG AS A TRADING ENTITY ARE QUICK TO EXAGGERATE AND PUBLICISE THE MISDEMEANOURS OF THAT MINISCULE PROPORTION OF OUR TRADING COMMUNITY WHO ENDANGER THE TRADING REPUTATION OF THE VAST MAJORITY OF HONEST HONG KONG BUSINESSMEN.

+THIS IS WHY THE SUCCESS WE HAVE HAD IN COUNTERING COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT AS IT CONCERNS YOUR INDUSTRY HAS AN IMPORTANCE FOR HONG KONG WELL BEYOND THE ACHIEVEMENTS AS SUCH, IMPORTANT TO US THOUGH THESE ARE,+ MR HO SAID.

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