German Bus Maker Accuses Chinese Company of Pirating Design
October 19, 2006 | Levent OZLER
A German manufacturer on Thursday accused a Chinese company of taking the country's rampant product piracy to a new extreme by copying its design for an entire bus.
But the Chinese company rejected the accusation, saying it created its own vehicle.
Neoplan Bus GmbH said it filed suit in a Beijing court accusing Zonda Industrial Group of copying its Starliner bus.
Neoplan said it is asking for damages and an order for Zonda to stop making its copy.
"Neoplan alleges that the Zonda A9 bus entirely copies the original industrial design of the Neoplan Starliner premium model," the German company said in a statement.
China is regarded as the world's leading source of illegitimately copied goods, from Hollywood movies and designer clothes to sports equipment and medications.
Last year, General Motors Corp. settled a lawsuit against a Chinese automaker, Chery Automobile Co., that was accused of copying GM's design for a subcompact car.
Neoplan, a subsidiary of Germany's Man Nutzfahrzeuge AG, said its Starliner bus was released in 2004 and received a design award as "Bus of the Year" in 2006.
China has tried to discourage piracy by increasing penalties to include possible jail time and launching repeated crackdowns, destroying millions of pirated CDs, designer bags and other goods.
more: iht.com/articles/ap/2006/10/19/asia/AS_FIN_China_G (905)
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