Shanghai launches IPR complaints center

A dedicated one-stop shop for intellectual property rights complaints is to open in China's major business center, Shanghai, according to local media reports. The agency will receive complaints and process them through the relevant administrations.

Liu Minhong, a divisional chief of the Shanghai Intell-ectual Property Administration, told the Shanghai Daily newspaper: "it will offer more convenience to IPR owners because they can lodge complaints no matter what. Other-wise, IPR owners must first know what kind of violations are involved and approach different departments because each has its own specialty."

President Hu Jintao's recent visit to the USA raised the issue of IPR, with the US government pressing Chinese authorities to do more to crack down on counterfeiting, including pharmaceutical products.