The only organized thieves worse than the Indian chor are the Chinese thieves.
On the grand organized thievery scale, the Indian thieves are way down the ladder compared to the Chinese. Our desi organized thieves still churn out fake low-cost items like Bollywood and Hollywood music, videos, software, video games et al.
The Chinese on the other hand have moved up the value chain and are au courant with the latest gee whiz, hot products like the Apple iPhone or the new model Nokia or Motorola gadgets.
The New York Times has an interesting article today on how the Chinese counterfeiters are moving up the value chain with popular cell phone knockoffs like the Hi-Phone:
Technological advances have allowed hundreds of small Chinese companies, some with as few as 10 employees, to churn out what are known here as shanzhai, or black market, cellphones, often for as little as $20 apiece.
And just as Chinese companies are trying to move up the value chain of manufacturing, from producing toys and garments to making computers and electric cars, so too are counterfeiters. After years of making fake luxury bags and cheap DVDs, they are capturing market share from the world’s biggest mobile phone makers.
Who Needs an iPhone When You Have an Hi-Phone added by SearchIndia.com on
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Recently Indian Government banned selling of Chinese toys which are toxic in nature for kids. But, did not know what happened in the background, the ban was lifted after a fortnight or so.
They recently announced that Korean mobiles [Chinese low cost mobiles are termed so] will also be banned since those mobiles do not possess an IMEA number to uniquely identify it and any communication with malicious intentions can happen since we cannot trace down to it. But this is also on hold, don’t know why.
Comparing to low-cost-dead-quality items from China, Made-in-India good are superior, and they maintain a better brand name..
FYI:
http://www.aol.in/news/story/2008012723289012000005/
and
http://www.hindustantimes.com/Redir.aspx?ID=12648fa7-d2dc-460c-a460-81bd743364fe&ParentID=416290c5-ec76-4269-ae2d-0a60ccbbd210&SectionName=
[At the end of the news, there is some info you’ll love to discuss.. ;-), you have already done enough..]
SearchIndia.com Responds:
1. Even if the Americans say they are not keen on China-made products (in your second link), they still keep buying them. Even the hot iPhone is made in China.
BTW, the AOL link is not working.
2. On the foreign competition/outsourcing in the last sentence of the HT piece (the second link above), we doubt Obama or subsequent Presidents or Congress will do much. Most of the politicians are beholden to corporate interests.