How Legal Systems Have Affected Sino–US Relations: Counterfeiting of Construction Products and Materials

The construction industry is considered among the most critical drivers of international progress in terms of jobs, infrastructure, economy, and science. However, the American construction industry has been increasingly impacted during the past three-and-one-half decades by Chinese counterfeiting. The prevalence of Chinese counterfeit products in many supply chains within the American construction industry affects more than lost sales; it reduces project quality, causes tremendous monetary loss, and jeopardizes construction worker safety, thus harming Sino–US relations. This paper places counterfeiting into historical contexts, and examines the Chinese and US legal systems with regard to counterfeiting, with an emphasis on China. The paper finally discusses possible reasons for the proliferation in China of what Westerners regard as unethical behavior, and how counterfeiting affects Sino–US relations.