1.   Company officials said they have been trying to get changes in laws to protect against international piracy and to bring more qualified workers into the country.

2.   The executives also urged the administration and Congress to support stronger intellectual-property protection designed to stop the illegal copying and international piracy of American-made software.

3.   Areas such as the South China Sea and Sulu Sea have always been the main target of international piracy.

4.   China sent a representative to an international piracy conference that started here Tuesday reflecting its worry at the sharp increase in attacks off the Chinese coast last year.

5.   Ships were operated by overseas Chinese in Taipei, Hong Kong, Bangkok and Singapore, Ellen said after a two-day international piracy conference.