China Loses Appeal On Foreign Movie Quota

The World Trade Organization has rejected a Chinese appeal of an August decision striking down China's policy of restricting the number of foreign films and DVDs that can be distributed in that country and forcing film companies to use state-owned distributors. In a statement, U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk said, "We expect China to respond promptly to these findings and bring its measures into compliance." If it does not, the U.S. could take retaliatory measures against Chinese goods. However, in an interview with today's (Tuesday) Los Angeles Times , Greg Frazier, an executive with the Motion Pictgure Association of America (MPAA), said, "We've never been under the illusion of overnight, instantaneous effect [of the WTO ruling,] ... The whole point is to get leverage to open that market."

22/12/2009