China opposes U.S. releasing irresponsible IPR report: commerce ministry

BEIJING, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- The United States labeling some Chinese enterprises and markets as so-called "notorious markets" in its recent report is neither responsible nor objective, the Ministry of Commerce (MOC) said Friday.

China does not accept the conclusion of the report and firmly opposes the irresponsible action of the U.S. side, said a spokesperson with the MOC.

The spokesperson made the remarks in response to a recent report released by the United States on the "notorious markets" for counterfeiting and piracy, which identified some Chinese firms and markets as "notorious markets."

The report used ambiguous terms such as "allegedly" or "reportedly" to describe relevant Chinese companies, said the spokesperson, noting that there is neither conclusive evidence nor sufficient proof.

China's achievement in the protection of intellectual property rights (IPRs) is obvious to all, the spokesperson said, adding that China has stepped up law enforcement to crack down on copyright infringement and piracy in recent years to enhance IPR protection.

The U.S. side should fully and objectively reflect the efforts and progress made by the Chinese government and enterprises in the IPR protection, and reach a fair evaluation so as to avoid undue negative impact on the enterprises, the spokesperson said.

Piracy and counterfeiting were and still are problems existing in the United States, said the spokesperson, adding that the U.S. side frequently criticized other countries but never mentioned its own problems in this regard.

"Such double standards are regrettable," the spokesperson said.

With the rapid development of economic globalization and internet and other new technologies, the fight against counterfeiting and IPR infringement needs the cooperation of all countries, the spokesperson said.

China is ready to strengthen cooperation with other countries in IPR protection and create a level playing field for global businesses, the spokesperson added.