Baidu plans to launch a service offering free legal music downloads this month, a step set to raise hopes among music labels that China is starting to crack down further on copyright infringements.

　　中國最大的在線搜索引擎百度(Baidu)計劃在本月啟動一項合法的免費音樂下載服務，這一舉動將使各音樂廠牌燃起對中國進一步打擊侵犯版權行為的希望。

　　China’s largest online search engine has started testing Baidu Ting, the new service, among a limited number of users before opening it to all later this month, the company said.

　　百度透露，該公司已經開始在數量有限的用戶當中測試新服務百度ting!，并將在本月晚些時候向所有用戶開放。

　　The move comes amid a crackdown on violations of intellectual property rights which the government started last October and which has led to the shutdown of many websites that offer pirated music and films via streaming and downloads.

　　百度采取這一動作之前，中國政府曾從去年10月開始打擊侵犯知識產權的行為，導致許多提供盜版音樂和電影的流媒體播放和下載的網站被關閉。

　　The US government, in its annual report on intellectual property rights protection worldwide, kept China on its special watchlist but expressed cautious optimism over the country’s recent measures. Beijing’s special campaign against piracy might lead to “lasting improvements” in IPR protection, the report said. Last month, the US Trade Representative had included Baidu on a list of “notorious markets” for pirated goods.

　　美國政府在其發(fā)布的全球知識產權保護年度報告里，將中國保留在特別觀察名單中，但對中國最近采取的措施表達了審慎的樂觀。該報告稱，北京打擊盜版的專項整治運動，或許能導致知識產權保護方面的“持續(xù)改善”。上個月，美國貿易代表(US Trade Representative)曾把百度列入盜版產品的“惡名市場”(notorious market)名單。

　　Many foreign rights holders continue to doubt Beijing’s resolve in the long term. But they see the move by Baidu, which holds a virtual stranglehold over China’s online search market since Google partly retreated last year, as an encouraging sign.

　　許多外國權利人仍然懷疑北京的決心能否長期持續(xù)。不過他們認為百度的舉動是一個鼓舞人心的跡象，自從谷歌(Google)去年部分撤出中國市場以后，百度幾乎完全控制了中國的在線搜索市場。

　　“When Baidu starts to move it means that things might really be changing,” said a foreign entertainment industry executive who declined to be named.

　　一位不愿署名的外國娛樂產業(yè)高管說：“如果百度開始采取行動，那就意味著事情可能真的在變化。”

　　Baidu continues to operate Baidu MP3, a site that helps internet users find, stream and download unlicensed music for free. The company refused to comment on when Ting would completely replace that service, but executives have said they are planning to gradually change the model.

　　百度仍在繼續(xù)經營百度MP3，該網站幫助互聯網用戶免費查找、流媒體播放并下載未經授權的音樂。該公司拒絕評論百度ting!何時會徹底取代百度MP3服務，但高管已表示他們計劃逐步改變模式。