A 100-day nationwide campaign launched on July 15, which targeted pirated audio and video products and computer software resulted in an average haul of 19.46 million illegal publications every month through September.

In the whole of 2006, authorities seized 150 million illegal, pirated and pornographic publications.

"Many of these positive developments reflect China's ambitious plans to promote homegrown innovation," the report continued.

Early this month, the National Working Group for IPR Protection released China's Action Plan on IPR Protection 2007, detailing 276 concrete measures in 10 areas.

A National IPR Strategy Formulation will be completed by the end of June.

"Moreover, a continued surge in application filings in China demonstrates that both Chinese and foreign companies are embracing these developments," the survey said.

In 2006, there were more than 700,000 trademark applications filed in China, and the number of invention patent filings rose to 210,490, up 21 percent on the previous year.

Despite the favourable report and China's progress on IPR protection, Canada is likely to join the United States in complaining to the World Trade Organization about the IPR protection situation here.

Canadian Trade Minister David Emerson was quoted by local media as saying yesterday: "We are seeking clarification from China on its IPR enforcement regime, given concerns expressed by Canadian industry.

"Our goal is to resolve this issue through dialogue with the Chinese government and through cooperation with our trading partners."

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