Potter bootlegs big in Beijing

Harry Potter might possess the powers to vanquish evil wizards -- but not Chinese pirates.

Bootleg English-language copies of “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows,” J.K. Rowling’s latest and last novel in her super-selling series, have been appearing on the streets of Beijing -- testimony to local pirates’ ability to churn out copies of any in-demand entertainment in the blink of an eye.

China has promised to wipe out pirate producers who have become a sore point in trade ties with the United States and Europe. But the piles of freshly printed Potter seen at one popular street market -- on sale for 80% less than the legitimate copies in bookstores -- were a reminder of how far Beijing is from realizing that pledge.

U.S. copyright industry companies claim bootleggers cost them $2.6 billion in sales in China in 2005. On Chinese streets, pirate DVDs can cost as little as $1, much less than legitimate copies sold in wealthy countries.

From Reuters