U.S. creates post to fight piracy in China

WASHINGTON, Sept. 13 (UPI) -- The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office said Monday it has appointed an intellectual property attaché to China to help curb piracy there.

It is the first time the United States has placed an official overseas for the purpose of improving intellectual property protection in a specific country.

The USPTO, a division of the Department of Commerce, said it had assigned Mark Cohen, an attorney-advisor in the agency's office of enforcement, to the U.S. Embassy in Beijing. Cohen will work with government officials to improve Chinese intellectual property laws, regulations and enforcement procedures, beginning this week.

He also will work with his Chinese colleagues to provide enforcement training and technical assistance to foster respect for intellectual property, encourage governmental and corporate efforts to fight copyright infringement, and promote honest business practices in the use and development of intellectual property.

The assignment follows the recommendation of a Department of Commerce report, "Manufacturing in America."