(Xinhua)
Updated: 2007-08-14 09:06

WASHINGTON -- The United States on Monday requested the World Trade Organization (WTO) to establish a dispute settlement panel regarding so-called China's deficiencies in intellectual property protection.

"The United States and China have tried, through formal consultations over the last three months, to resolve differences arising from U.S. concerns about inadequate protection of intellectual property rights in China," said USTR Spokesman Sean Spicer.

"That dialogue has not generated solutions to the issues we have raised, so we are asking the WTO to form a panel to settle this dispute," he added.

"We will pursue this legal dispute in the WTO and will continue to work with China bilaterally on other important IPR issues," he said.

The U.S. initiated the dispute over so-called China's deficiencies in intellectual property protection by requesting consultations with China on April 10, 2007.

Under WTO rules, the WTO Dispute Settlement Body (DSB) will consider the U.S. request for the establishment of a panel at its next meeting on August 31.