"So the question is... Are we powerless to stand up for American cos.
that a losing $US 24-25 billion dollars a year...?"

Senator John Kerry on the topic of IP rights violations by China.
(US-China Trade Relations/2005 Senate Finance Committee Hearings)

It maybe that there's no easy answer to question of intellectual
property rights violation by China as many of its' citizens have build
a viable livelihoods and if i may say industries around such
practices. One can understand why the state government in China would
turn a blind eye to it as it is much easier and cost effective to
condone such practices as it is to totally create new alternatives to
replace them.

... If the Japanese were masters of miniaturization, the Chinese will
be known for their skills in replication... copying. During my years
working for the U.S. Treasury Dept. (currency trafficking division),
there was a time when a product by the street name 'China' was up for
sale to the highest bidder in the black market. Until today, the exact
composition of the paper and ink on which the United States currency
is printed on and printed with is still a closely guarded
secret. 'China' was the formula of an ink product that closely
replicated that used for printing the USD.

P. Mavin

Disclosure: P. Mavin and the street name of ink product 'China' are
fictitious.