Dangdang.com, the world's largest Chinese online shopping mall, has been charged with using the image content of other website on its own. Reportedly, the case will be opened next week in the Beijing No. 2 Intermediate People's Court. Dangdang.com has not commented on the allegations beyond maintaining their innocence.

Allegedly, since May 2005, the Beijing Rongxinhe economic information consulting company offered a special commercial section on their site featuring a constellation and a crystal, called "Star Internet," for crystal jewelry sales promotion. From May 30, 2005, Sina's "Constellation Channel" has been authorized to release a synchronizing business feature called "Crystal pictures of 12 constellations." Recently, however, the company found that unauthorized internet pages can be found on dangdang.com.

The Beijing Rongxinhe economic information consulting company says that it has been talking with dangdang.com about the infringement, and dangdang.com has also discontinued using the image. Shortly thereafter, however, the plaintiff found that dangdang.com started to use the unauthorized works once again.

Beijing Rongxinhe is asking the court for a compensation amount of RMB 70,000 along with a public apology.

An employee from Dangdang's market department stated that these pictures are not copied by Dangdang but by the suppliers.

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