Washington, D.C. — Today the U.S. Department of Justice indicted Chinese wind manufacturer Sinovel for trade secret theft. Extensive FBI investigations have revealed that the Chinese company stole proprietary intellectual property from its American partner AMSC (formerly American Superconductor Corporation) and then sold the stolen technology to U.S. customers in the state of Massachusetts. Melanie Hart, Center for American Progress Senior Policy Analyst for China Energy and Climate Policy, issued the following statement on the indictment:
The difference between this swift indictment in the United States and the long legal battle AMSC continues to face in China could not be more illuminating. Here in the United States, when companies present clear evidence of trade secret theft, our courts take action. In China, real justice is often impossible to achieve, particularly for foreign companies seeking restitution against Chinese wrongdoing.
Today’s indictment proves that the AMSC allegations against Sinovel are based on concrete and valid evidence. Yet Chinese courts continue to dicker about with jurisdiction concerns instead of giving this American company a fair trial. American businesses should watch AMSC’s still-unfolding Chinese legal cases very closely. AMSC has now won two swift and clear judicial successes, first in Austria and now here in the United States. If Chinese courts issue a dramatically different ruling based on the exact same evidence, that will raise big questions about the legal protection foreign firms can expect in today’s China.
Read the analysis: Criminal Charges Mark New Phase in Bellwether U.S.-China Intellectual Property Dispute by Melanie Hart
To speak with a CAP expert, please contact Anne Shoup at [email protected] or 202.481.7146.
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