A senior official yesterday fought back at Western countries that seek to condemn China for violations of intellectual property rights, while ignoring the huge strides the country has made in strengthening IPR protection.

Related readings:  Authorities gear up for IPR Day  Sohu threatens to drag Google to court  Court weighs in on IPR violations  IPR violators face tougher sentences

"It is not right for them to observe China while wearing blinkers," Tian Lipu, commissioner of the State Intellectual Property Office said in an online interview with www.gov.cn in Beijing.

The government's attitude toward intellectual property rights protection has always been resolute, and its achievements are obvious to all, he said.

As a condition of its entry into the World Trade Organization, China has, since 2000, been carrying out a complete revision of its laws and regulations relating to IPR protection to ensure they comply with international conventions.

Last year, the country formally joined the World Intellectual Property Organization Copyright Treaty and the WIPO Performances and Phonograms Treaty.

On July 1, 2006, it also implemented regulations on the protection of the right of communication through information networks.

To date it has completed three revisions of its patent law.

From December 2004 to spring 2007, the country has organized numerous special crackdown campaigns on IPR infringements.

1

2

(For more biz stories, please visit Industry Updates)