The Chinese government pledged on May 27 to work intensively on intellectual property rights (IPR) to catch up with its global counterparts now that China has joined the World Trade Organization (WTO).

"The enhancement of IPR protection will be of pivotal importance for China to optimize its legal environment and help attract more foreign investors," Tian Lipu, deputy-director of the State Intellectual Property Bureau (SIPB), said on May 27 in Beijing at the ongoing Fifth China Beijing International High-Tech Expo.

With dramatic development of science and technology and the globalization of the world economy, intensified IPR protection will prevail for a comparatively long time this century, he said.

"We are accelerating our process to revise and enact more IPR-related regulations as part of China's commitment to the WTO," the deputy-director said.

To protect the rights of software vendors, China enacted a regulation in January to curb the piracy of computer software.

"The IPR protection has actually turned out to be strategically important for transnational companies to scramble for international market shares," Tian said.

He called on Chinese enterprises to spend more time on research and development and patent application to overcome their disadvantages in the international competition.

The years-long issue of DVD royalties among six world major DVD technology developers (6C) -- Hitachi, Panasonic, Mitsubishi, Time Warner, Toshiba and JVC -- and the China Electronic Acoustic Equipment Association, which stands for domestic DVD makers, is a good illustration.

Industry insiders said foreign companies may hope to weaken the position of Chinese products in the international market by acquiring expensive royalties.

In addition, a stronger awareness of IPR protection needs to be strengthened nationwide, Tian said, warning that a lot needs to be done to compete with developed countries.

Tian is not alone.

Lin Wenyi, vice-mayor of Beijing, said that with the lifting of tariffs and barriers thanks to China's WTO entry, IPR will become a decisive point for the national and regional economy.

Industrial output by high-tech enterprises in Beijing amounted to 122 billion yuan (US$14.7 billion) last year, up 17.6 percent from the previous year.

"We will take advantage of China's WTO entry and Beijing's successful bid for the 2008 Olympics to further stimulate the IPR protection," she said.