A total of 57 product brands from 45 enterprises have won the title of ``China's Top Brand,'' raising their profile ahead of the nation's entry into the World Trade Organization (WTO).

The brands were selected by the China brand name strategy promotion commission from 10 of China's relatively mature industries.

These include manufacturers of color films, gourmet powder, motorcycles, shirts, and household electric appliances such as refrigerators, washing machines, air conditioners, microwave ovens and TV sets.

All the products are made of a high quality and have secured a leading position in the market.

And the brands are all well-known to the Chinese, among which are Legend PC, TCL TV, Youngor shirt, Qianjiang Motorcycle and Lucky Film.

Haier, the famous electrical appliances manufacturer from East China's Shandong Province which has performed well in both domestic and overseas markets, had four of its products included in the list: refrigerator, air conditioner, washing machine and microwave oven.

At the awards ceremony held in Beijing on Saturday, the 45 businesses were spoken of highly by the State General Administration for Quality Supervision and Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ).

The administration, China's watchdog for product quality, is planning to foster more brand names.

After China's entry into the World Trade Organization, expected later this year, Chinese enterprises are sure to face fiercer competition.

Brand, as well as quality, will be decisive factors in the competition for more market share.

``Brand names should be afforded better protection by strengthening the crackdown on counterfeit and shoddy commodities,'' said State Councillor Wu Yi in a congratulatory letter to the AQSIQ on the announcement of the first batch of ``Top Brands.''

Lacking a long-term strategy, many Chinese enterprises only pay attention to their immediate interests instead of the protection of their brand names.

Meanwhile, many consumers do not have enough loyalty to domestic brands, and that has led to insufficient support for businesses' efforts to preserve their brands.