Two Chinese firms, G-point and Bluemtv, have been found guilty of copyright infringement by a Shanghai-based court and ordered to pay a fine of 1.35 million yuan ($194,000) to Walt Disney and Pixar for the hit movies Cars and Cars 2 on Saturday.

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Disney and Pixar had taken the two firms to court over allegations that the characters, poster, and title portrayed in the movie The Autobots was an ideal replica of Cars and Cars 2.

The Shanghai Pudong New District people's Court ruled that the 'K1' and 'K2' characters from The Autobots were infringed copies of 'Lighting McQueen' and 'Francesco Bernoulli' in Cars and Cars 2. It also noted that the similarity between the posters from Cars and The Autobots created a room for unfair business practices.

China Daily reported that Bluemtv has been ordered to pay 1 million yuan ($144,000) of the fine, whereas G point will pay the remaining 350,000 yuan ($50,000). The court said that this was necessary to cater for the claimant's general losses incurred due to the event.

The Chinese companies were also ordered to pay 350,000 yuan ($50,000) to the claimant for any legal expenses incurred during the hearing.

The court, however, ruled against Walt Disney's and Pixar's allegations that the title was also infringed stating that the Chinese movie title had a different meaning and was not to be considered as an unfair competition.

The recent ruling comes at a time when China has been on the hotspot over copyright issues. Early in December last year, a plagiarized art piece of Wendy Taylor's Timepiece, was destroyed in Shanghai after the land owners confessed to it being plagiarized.

Tagschina, Shanghai, Walt Disney, Pixar, Bluemtv, G-point