Hardly does a day go by without pirated CDs and VCDs being sold in the streets of Hong Kong.
Companies producing the genuine articles are fed up with what is happening, not just here, but in other parts of Southeast Asia.
In Taipei, some of Taiwan's best-known music stars demonstrated against the pirates. They urged their government to take tougher action against piracy.
In Hong Kong many actors are angered that newly released films are frequently copied. They have appealed to people, through television adverts, not to buy pirated merchandise. They have explained that box office revenue in cinemas is dropping because of the pirates. If things do not get better, eventually no one will be willing to invest in making films.
We should all listen to what they are saying. We can all play our part in helping to protect intellectual property and Hong Kong's entertainment industry by not buying pirated CDs or VCDs.
DAWNING LEUNG HOI-CHING
