The US should sue China at the WTO over rampant copyright abuses and ban US Internet companies from revealing their users' identities to Beijing, the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission said in its annual report to US lawmakers. The 12-member congressional panel cited Chinese government data estimating that counterfeit products account for 15-20% of products made in China, or 8% of China's US$2.2 trillion GDP, AFP reported. It also cited estimates that IPR violations in China cost US companies up to US$4 billion dollars in lost trade every year. The panel said a WTO lawsuit "provides the strongest enforcement tool available" to the US government to bring China to heel over IPR. Among its other findings, the panel adjudged that "China artificially lowers the value of its currency to maintain an export-led trade policy". The panel made 44 recommendations.
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