Wu Boming, representing the Jiu San (September 3) Society, one of China's eight non-communist parties, said the current situation of intellectual property in China is worrisome, and China's competitiveness in the field of intellectual property lags far behind advanced countries.

The creation, possession and utilization of intellectual property has become a key factor to gains of an enterprise or even a nation in competitions, Wu said in a speech at the third plenary meeting of the First Session of the 10th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).

Wu called on government departments concerned, enterprises and social institutions to deal with the issue of intellectual property from "the height of a national strategy." He said China should study and implement the intellectual property strategy in such fields as the research of human disease gene and traditional Chinese medicine.

China should actively take part in the adjustment of international rules on intellectual property. Genetic resources, traditional information and folk literature and art should also be put under intellectual property protection, said Wu.

He also suggested to improve policies, laws and regulations relating to intellectual property.

(Xinhua News Agency March 10, 2003)