Ai Baojun, Member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Shanghai Municipal Committee and Vice Mayor, said that intellectual property protection is a key factor which could reflect a region's innovation competence on June 18 when he attended a working conference on combating IP infringement and counterfeiting.

Ai urged local authorities to use intellectual property systems as an engine to drive excellent enterprises to create innovations and improve investment environment, propelling the development of high-end industries.

Over the past two years, Shanghai has yielded success in enhancing IP protection, whereas there is still much room to improve in some areas. Local authorities should further promote the combating campaigns, unswervingly fight with infringing activities and rectify errors occurring in the enforcing process.

Law enforcement departments should combine forces and establish a coordinating system where administrative and judicial protection could go well in parallel. In addition, current related provisions should be further clarified and improved to promote a sound legal environment.

(Source: IPR in China)