Nowadays, it is known to all that China has become a place of rampant pirated products: pirated CDs, pirated VCDs, pirated DVDs, pirated books… They are available everywhere and we are so accustomed to the phenomenon that we won’t feel it strange to see pirated copies of the latest movies even before they are on shown in theatres.

　　The reasons for the phenomenon, which are obvious to all, can be listed as follows:

　　First of all, the price of the products that are pirated is too high that most people cannot afford it. Second, the price of the pirated products is much lower and, in some cases, the pirated product doesn’t necessarily mean low quality. Also playing a part is the local government. Some officials give top priority to economy. They will tolerate, or even encourage, anything so long it can bring them financial income.

　　But the pirated products really do much harm. First, they infringe intellectual property rights. Second, they offend against the rules of the market. As a result of piracy, companies investing in invention will inevitably run bankruptcy and our society will stop where it is. No advance. No progress.

　　In view of the seriousness of the problem, effective measures should be taken: for one thing, it is high time that people all over China realized the harm of piracy; for another, the government should issue strict laws and regulations in order to put the situation under control.