China has more pirates than Johnny Depp in the Caribbean.

Not the kind that board ships and swing swords. These pirates steal movies, TV shows, music, video games and other creative products made by other people in other countries.

China leads the world in piracy of intellectual property. If someone makes it, someone here will pilfer it.

You can buy pirated DVDs of recent U.S. films for 10 yuan ($1.64), but few people bother because it’s easier and cheaper to download them for free from unauthorized websites and watch them on your computer. Same for American TV shows and music.

Sometimes, pirated DVDs are available before a movie is even released. Nate, the 12-year-old son of my neighbors Chuck and Toni, said he watched a DVD of “Iron Man 3’’ in China before it was shown in U.S. theaters.

Even the computer software is usually pirated. U.S. software companies estimate that 80 percent of the programs installed on personal computers in China were illegally obtained.

Of course, China has long been notorious for producing knockoffs of famous brands like Nike, Rolex and Coach. But the scope of the piracy is mind-boggling.

The Chinese are accustomed to getting their entertainment for free. Everyone does it, and nobody seems to think it’s wrong. The view stems largely from the Chinese belief that society’s welfare trumps individual rights.

The U.S. has been complaining about the problem for a long time, but little has changed. Chinese authorities claim they’re doing their best to prevent the theft, though there’s scant evidence to back them up.

A study by the U.S. International Trade Commission found that Chinese piracy and counterfeiting of intellectual property cost American businesses an estimated $48 billion in 2009.

That’s real money, even in Hollywood.