I don't know about "envy of the world" but until China started enforcing IP rights a little more strongly, US companies I worked with hated doing business with Chinese companies because they would just copy everything.
While all under the umbrella of "intellectual property," trademark, copyright, trade dress, and the various forms of patents all cover different things.
I think many people doing business in China are more concerned about trade dress (fooling people into thinking that their item is the "legitimate" thing).
Edit: rather than patents. I also think copyright and trademark are big concerns. I don't think patents are.
No, patents and copyrights and other things too. One major Chinese telecom company used to copy the equipment of one major US telecom company down to the English silk screening on the circuit boards. Who wants to do all the expensive design work for a Chinese company who is then just going to undercut you with lower prices through cheap labor?
The example you gave is copyright violation. My claim (poorly worded the first time) is that patents are not what most companies are worried about -- they're more concerned with copyright, trade dress, and trademark.
It depends on what the company makes. LVMH worries about its trade marks. Merck worries about its patents. And these aren't illegitimate worries. People feel ripped off when someone takes a drug they spent time and money developing and copies it. People feel ripped off when someone takes a brand they spent time and money building and copies it. Unfair competition is at the heart of all kinds of IP.
