Xiushui Street market
Xiushui Street market (File photo) Chinanews, Beijing, Apr. 27 Xiushui Street in Beijing was once a role model for the success of non-governmental free trade business in China. However, as China strengthened its efforts to protect intellectual property rights, Xiushui Street, which boosted its business mainly by selling fake foreign-brand products, suffered a setback. Today when China is fighting hard against IPR infringement, Xiushui Street has to think of a new mode to continue its prosperity, the Market News reported.
Back in 1982, some street vendors started to sell clothes and small daily-use commodities on Xiushui Street. However, it was not until 1995 that large numbers of fake products began to dominate the market. At that time, businesspeople from across the country gathered on Xiushui Street to sell fake products.
On January 7, 2005, the old street was torn down for renovation. Two months later, on March 19, 2005, business reopened on Xiushui Street. However, it continued to sell fake products and such practice ended in a law suit. On April 18, 2006, five famous international manufacturers sued vendors at Xiushui Street. The Beijing Municipal Higher People's Court ruled that the vendors had infringed the international companies' trademarks. It ordered the vendors selling fake products and the Beijing Xiushui Street Company to pay 20,000 yuan in compensation for each of the five manufacturers. Later, all street vendors that sold fake products were ordered to close their business.
The event served as a turning point for Xiushui Street. From then on, the Beijing Xiushui Street Company and its vendors decided not to sell fake products any more. On April 26, 2006, some 1,000 vendors at Xiushui Street vowed on a public occasion that from then on, they would say no to fake products and would start to promote domestic products.
Soon, six famous domestic brands, including Tongrentang, Quanjude, and Ruifuxiang, settled in Xiushui Street. Now, eating Peking Duck and shopping at Xiushui Street have become a must for foreign visitors to Beijing.
Nowadays, traditional Chinese handicrafts, silk products, pearls, tealeaves, chinaware, traditional Chinese brand products, etc, have become the major items sold on Xiushui Street. When visiting the street, customers will be attracted to the fine art pieces, silk clothes and delicious Peking roast ducks sold there. Things like these offer a chance for visitors to get a glimpse of the authentic Chinese culture.