living in Beijing: Q & A
You are welcome to put your questions about life in the capital to Beijing This Month at btm@cbw.com. We will do our best to find an expert to solve your problems.
I am an expatriate who recently moved to China from a country that did not allow persons under the age of 21 to drink alcohol. Of course my wife and I do not allow our children to drink alcoholic beverages under our roof. However, my 17-year old son insists that it is legal for him and his friends to go to the Bar Street in San Li Tun and order alcohol. Does China have any laws on alcohol consumption or control, and, if so, what are they?
Concerned Parent
Dear Concerned:
Unfortunately for parents who come from countries where a legal drinking age is strictly enforced, China has no "official" drinking age.
Although no drinking age exists in Beijing, officials in some Chinese cities are addressing the problems associated with minors and alcohol. Shenzhen, for example, recently adopted a regulation totally banning alcohol sales to children under 18 years of age. Shenzhen is the first Chinese city to prohibit the sale of alcohol to minors. The rule also forbids advertising alcohol.
I am often confronted by persons who want to sell me video recordings, audio recordings, and computer programs at a very cheap price. Are these "legal" and what, if any laws exist for copyrights in China?
EZ Listening in Beijing
Dear EZ:
The Chinese government recognizes that pirated intellectual property is bad both domestically and internationally, and is, therefore, revising its copyright law to conform to international standards. According to the State Copyright Administration ("SCA"), the National People's Congress ("NPC"), China''s top legislature, will address the revision on its agenda this year.
Currently, the question of whether one purchases black market copies of CD's is legal, but it is really a moral decision. You are probably not going to get arrested for purchasing or owning black market CD's in China. However, after the new law arrives, purchasers of black-market products should beware. The new copyright law was rumored to be arriving in November of 1998, but has yet to surface. Keep your eyes open.
The L & A Law Firm