China will spare no effort in implementing national intellectual property (IP) strategies to strengthen its competitive position in the world market, said a senior official with the State Intellectual Property Office.

"Even though China is a developing country, we must make IP a priority because it is a key rule for members of the World Trade Organization," said Zhang Qin, deputy director of the State Intellectual Property Office.

Zhang made the comment at an IP protection forum during the four-day China International Patent Fair, which will wrap up on September 6 in this coastal city in Northeast China's Liaoning Province.

For China to compete in the world market, IP is an essential complement to talent and technical standards, said Zhang.

Zhang expressed the hope all countries, developed or developing, will work together to improve the rules, thereby creating a win-win situation for all parties.

As part of the plan China will further its co-operation with foreign partners to better the IP protection system in this country.

"We plan to give the same importance to IP protection as we do to scientific inventions," said Zhang, adding the government will increase funding to promote scientific research and development as an incentive for inventors.

To date, 1.63 million patents have been approved in China, "but inventions only occupy about 5 per cent of that total and most are non-service inventions," said Zhang.

Also, inventors find it difficult to apply for patents in foreign countries because of language, financing and regulations. "We will try to create an atmosphere to promote patent industrialization," said Zhang.

To reach that goal, China needs inventors who have their own patents, know how to run their enterprises and manage their money.

(China Daily September 4, 2003)