China's industry and commerce authorities have handled more than 60,000 intellectual property rights infringement cases amid stepped-up efforts in IPR protection after its entry into the World Trade Organization, according to a senior official.

From 2002 through the first half of this year, the country's industry and commerce departments at all levels have dealt with 60,203 IPR infringement cases valued at 1.4 billion yuan (US$186 million), said Li Wenzhang, deputy director of the fair trade bureau of the State Administration of Industry and Commerce (SAIC).

The IPR of overseas companies, such as Estee Lauder, Coca Cola and Anheuser-Busch, have been protected in China after infringements were solved, Li said at the China Trademark Festival held Friday to Saturday in Changsha, capital of central Hunan Province. The event attracted more than 1,200 companies and officials both home and abroad.

The SAIC will continue to focus its crackdown on illegal activities faking trademarks, names and packaging from others, Li added.

Li also said a research report on commercial secrets in China has been completed as part of the country's implementation of its IPR strategy.

The comprehensive research, launched in 2005 by a 16-member team of experts, tells the status quo of commercial secrets in China and its future development measures and goals, according to Li.

(Xinhua News Agency November 5, 2007)