The Chinese capital and other major cities Thursday held various activities to mark the first World Intellectual Property Day.

On Beijing's Xi'dan Technology Square, the State Intellectual Property Office (SIPO) and some Beijing officials gave free information consultation to the public.

Vice-Premier Wen Jiabao, in a statement, called for more international exchanges and cooperation to protect intellectual property.

He said China is keen to do its best, along with other countries, to promote the establishment of a fair, reasonable and favorable intellectual property system.

The World Intellectual Property Organization also sent a message of congratulations on this first World Intellectual Property Day, which was initiated by China and Algeria at the 34th Convention of the World Intellectual Property Organization in 1999.

The organization decided at its 35th Convention in 2000 that each April 26 would be World Intellectual Property Day.

(People's Daily 04/27/2001)