China will actively respond to US complaint at WTO

The United States made a second request to set up an expert panel to probe US complaints that China was not doing enough to protect IPR at a meeting of the WTO's Dispute Settlement Body on September 25, for which China expressed its disappointments.Wang Xinpei, spokesperson of the Ministry of Commerce told a routine press conference on September 27, the Chinese government would actively respond to the US request and protect China's interests under WTO rules.

The United States initiated the case at the WTO in April, claiming that China's legal structure for IPR protection is unfairly deficient and inconsistent with WTO regulations.  Washington's first request for such a panel was made in August but rejected by China in accordance with WTO rules. The current panel decision was an automatically made after the second request. 

Lu Xiankun, a Chinese counselor to the WTO, expressed disappointments in US wayward attempt to set up the panel disregarding China's rejection. 

China would respond to the probe under the WTO rules and would defend its interests.  He also reiterated that China would continue to pay much attention to IPR protection. (by Zhang Haizhi Dou Xinying)

中方将积极应诉中美知识产权WTO争端案

　　本报讯　9月25日，在世界贸易组织争端解决机构召开的一次会议上，美国再次要求设立一个专家组调查美中在知识产权问题上的争端。中方对此表示遗憾。9月27日，中国商务部发言人王新培在例行新闻发布会上说， 中方将依据WTO规则，积极应诉，切实维护中国在WTO规则下的权益。

　　美国于今年4月把中国知识产权问题诉诸世贸组织，并于8月首次提出设立专家组的要求，但被中方依据相关规则驳回。在第二次提出设立专家组要求后，专家组将自动成立。

　　在9月25日的争端解决机构会议结束后，中国常驻世贸组织代表团参赞卢先?对美方不顾中方反对，再次要求就知识产权争端设立专家组表示遗憾。

　　卢先?表示，中方将依据世贸组织规则积极应诉，切实维护中国在世贸组织规则下的权益。同时，中方也愿意借此机会重申，中国政府重视和保护知识产权的立场是一贯的。（张海志　窦新颖）