The Intellectual Property Office under the Ministry of Economic Affairs on Saturday happily welcomed the United States' decision to remove Taiwan from the Special 301 Watch List. Wang Mei-hua, director-general of the office, said the development indicates that Taiwan's long-time efforts to protect intellectual property rights (IPR) have won the recognition of the US. Wang pointed out that the establishment of the intellectual property court on July 1, 2008 marked one of Taiwan's most important achievements in terms of IPR protection, adding that the court had received 700 cases as of the end of the year. Wang said Taiwan is one of the few countries in the world, along with Malaysia and Thailand, that has set up an intellectual property court. Most countries, she said, have only established intellectual property tribunals. Taiwan has also stepped up IPR enfocement on campuses to combat Internet and textbook piracy, she said. The government is also taking aim at copyright infringements on the Internet and submitted a draft amendment of the Copyright Law to the legislature last October.
