A memorandum of understanding on intellectual property protection (IPR) was signed yesterday between China and Italy on the sidelines of the ongoing state visit of Italian President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi.

The memorandum was signed between the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) and the Italian Trade Commission. The two sides will sign a detailed agreement soon, Xinhua News Agency reported.

"The signing of the document will promote China-Italy cooperation on IPR and cracking down on fake and pirated products," said Liu Wenjie, CCPIT's vice-chairman.

In an era of the knowledge-based economy, Italy and China share similar IPR objectives, Antonio Marzano, Italian minister of Production Activities, said at the signing ceremony. "It is in the common interests of the two countries."

According to the memorandum, both sides will offer companies information on the related laws, help with trademark registration and hold seminars on IPR protection, it said.

Statistics released by Chinese Customs officials indicate the volume of Chinese trade with Italy in the first 10 months this year reached US$12.68 billion, or up 31.6 percent when compared with the same period of last year.

Marzano is accompanying Italian President Ciampi' tour to China.

On Monday, the Italian president and President Hu Jintao signed a package of protocols, involving cooperation in culture, trade, heritage property protection and sports collaboration.

The two leaders also agreed that the year of 2006 would be the Italian Culture Year in China.

The visiting president met yesterday with Wu Bangguo, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, and promised to support exchanges between parliaments of the two as a way to develop better relationship.

"The exchange between the parliaments of both nations will increase mutual understanding between the people of the two nations," Wu said. "We hope to increase friendly, co-operative ties with the Italian parliament in terms of legislation."

Ciampi also delivered a speech at Tsinghua University and was to fly to Shanghai to continue his visit in China.

(China Daily December 8, 2004)