China’s government has stepped in to help resolve a product piracy dispute between General Motors and a local company, just before Premier Wen Jiabao makes a milestone visit to the United States, GM said on Friday, according to a Reuters report.
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The report said that Beijing has started discussions with GM, which began investigating media reports this year that local car maker Chery’s new QQ minicar bears a striking resemblance to the [Daewoo Matiz-based] Chevrolet Spark – which goes on sale in China this week.
Reuters said that China is playing down trade frictions with Wen headed to Washington this week, amid Sino-US relations alternately strained by restrictions on the imports of textiles and TVs and helped by the lifting of controversial tariffs on steel.
“GM has been in consultation with relevant Chinese government organisations, including the Ministry of Commerce, regarding the results of our investigation,” Tim Stratford, GM’s vice chairman in China, was quoted as saying in a statement, according to Reuters.
“We appreciate the Chinese government’s responsiveness to our concerns… We can assure you that GM continues to take all violations of its intellectual property rights very seriously,” Stratford reportedly said.
