State Intellectual Property Office on Thursday refuted a news report that "Chinese IP officials, together with research institutes, were engaged in an investigation in an international software magnate who was suspected of market monopoly."

In a statement, the office said the report was seriously irrespective of facts.

It said it had commissioned relevant institutions to conduct studies on domestic piracy rates, and the results had already been released to the media on May 28.

"But we have never conducted investigations in enterprises suspected of monopoly, and have no plan recently to carry out work in such respect," it said.

(Xinhua News Agency June 21, 2008)