China's top intellectual property administrator said here Thursday that the Chinese government sincerely pushes forward IP legislation and law enforcement, but the attempts to politicize IP disputes are not acceptable.

 

Tian Lipu, director of the State Intellectual Property Office (SIPO), said IP disputes could be resolved in accordance with the Chinese IP legal system, which has been established since 1985 when China passed its patent law.

 

The Chinese legal system undoubtedly protects patents and trademarks authorizing to overseas companies and their joint ventures in China, which gained smart profits from the Chinese market.

 

"IP protection is a global issue which should be handled through bilateral or multilateral cooperation instead of confrontation," Tian said.

 

"On issues concerned with public health, environmental protection and emission reduction, we encourage companies with advanced technologies to shoulder more social responsibility and help developing countries address the challenges facing the human society as a whole," Tian said.

 

"The Chinese government is earnest to deal with IP disputes, particularly those between Chinese and foreign companies," said Tian, who himself has been a longtime patent examiner.

 

Talking about IP disputes between China and the United States, Tian said, "There is no irresolvable issue in the IP area if the rights and wrongs are judged only by laws."

 

"The Chinese law enforcement and judiciary branches protect legitimate rights for both Chinese and foreign companies," Tian said.

 

"We of course don't like the US lodging complaints to the World Trade Organization," Tian said, "but we are not afraid of any resort to the WTO mechanism."

 

In recent years, US giants General Motors and Pfizer had fierce disputes over IP protection in China for their best-selling products, Spark mini-cars and Viagra anti-impotence pills.

 

(Xinhua News Agency October 19, 2007)