The Chinese government will continue to protect intellectual property rights (IPR) with more effective measures, Vice Premier Wu Yi said Tuesday.

Wu made the remark in a congratulatory message to the two-day Global Forum on Intellectual Property Rights Protection and Innovation which opened in Beijing on Tuesday.

The Chinese government will further improve the IPR protection system and strengthen law enforcement, and enhance cooperation with the international society in this regard, Wu said.

China's national strategy on IPR protection will come out in the first half of this year. It is composed of 20 topics and one guideline, covering system building, law enforcement, talents training and public awareness regarding the IPR protection.

Last year, the procuratorial organs approved the arrest of 3,729 people suspected of IPR violations and prosecuted 3,634, an increase of 16.7 percent and 12.6 percent respectively over the previous year.

"The Chinese government works hard to deal with IPR protection issues," said Thomas Donohue, president and CEO of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, at a press briefing on the sidelines of the forum.

Donohue said China is making strong efforts in the fight against IPR infringement and is making serious progress, especially in software.

He also warned the Chinese government of some challenges in IPR protection brought by the fast-growing economy, and encourages it to strengthen law enforcement in this regard.

Themed encouraging innovation, IPR protection and promoting fortune making, the forum is hosted jointly by the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade and U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

More than 500 high-level government officials and senior corporate experts from China, the United States, the European Union, Japan, the Republic of Korea, India and other countries and regions attended the forum.

State Councilor Chen Zhili also attended the opening ceremony and delivered a keynote speech.

She said IPR protection is in the long-term interests of China and is also the country's persistent policy. China will seriously implement its international obligations and actively work with other countries and international organizations.

Chen also stressed that IPR protection is a global issue, which needs cooperation, understanding and joint efforts from various sides.

(Xinhua News Agency March 28, 2007)