2011-05-26 10:51

BEIJING -- China on Wednesday pledged to further enhance efforts on intellectual property rights (IPR) protection and create a better environment for foreign investors.

Vice-Premier Wang Qishan made the pledge in a meeting with Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer on Wednesday afternoon in downtown Beijing.

Wang said the government attaches high importance to IPR protection, noting that the campaign against copyright infringement launched last October had been effective.

Efforts to make government bodies nationwide use genuine software also was going smoothly, he said.

"The Chinese government will endeavor to build a long-term mechanism on IPR protection and create better investment conditions for foreign companies," the vice premier said.

He also applauded Microsoft for setting up its biggest research base outside the United States in Beijing.

"Microsoft has participated in and contributed to China's modernization construction, while it also benefited from it," Wang said.

Ballmer spoke highly of the achievements the Chinese government has made in IPR protection, and vowed to further enhance cooperation with the Chinese side.