China has strengthened its intellectual property right (IPR) protection and 18 ministries will join hands to publicize IPR protection during the fifth "IPR protection week".

The 18 ministries, including Ministry of Public Security (MPS), the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Culture, State Intellectual Property Office (SIPO), will jointly hold several activities during the "IPR protection week" to be unveiled on April 20.

The MPS and the Ministry of Commerce will hold the fourth China forum on IPR protection, the Ministry of Culture will launch a program on the protection of Olympic IPRs in the cultural products market, and the General Administration of Customs will release ten major cases of IPR infringement cases discovered by China customs, the SIPO spokesman Yin Xintian citied a few of the activities.

On April 9, new guidelines for a "national IPR strategy" were approved by the State Council, aiming to promote innovation and enhance IPR protection.

"Before the guidelines were implemented and ahead of the World intellectual Property Day which falls on April 26, activities held during the 'IPR protection week' would further publicize knowledge of IPR protection and enhance the public awareness of IPR protection," he said.

"China is a responsible developing country and the Chinese government takes a firm stance in protecting IPR. The achievements in China in IPR protection are obvious," Yin said at a news conference on Thursday.

Last year, 2,967 people were arrested for suspected violations of IPR in China. Public security departments investigated 2,283 cases of IPR infringement and busted 2,008 cases, involving 1.49 billion yuan, SIPO statistics showed.

(Xinhua News Agency April 19, 2008)