ACCORDING to former Secretary of Commerce and US trade representative Mickey Kantor, it's important for China to build up a profound, transparent and authoritative system to protect intellectual property rights (IPR).

　　"China is developing very quickly in technology, communications and biotechnology and other high-tech areas, so it's in China's interest to protect IPR for foreign companies, Chinese companies and individuals as well," Kantor told the Shanghai Star during his visit to Shanghai on December 1.

　　Kantor explained how the protection of IPR could encourage innovation and introduce new money and intellectual capital into the market.

　　China has made great strides to fulfill its commitments to the World Trade Organization (WTO) in terms of IPR protection, Kantor said in an interview during his visit to Beijing last month, according to the China Daily.

　　But he stressed that China is facing great challenges in improving its enforcement of existing laws to ensure penalties for IPR infringements are sufficient to deter violations.

　　Regarding the question of Pfizer's patent rights for Viagra in China, Kantor - acting as the company's lawyer - believes the case has symbolic significance.

　　"The case goes beyond Viagra and Pfizer - many foreign investors are watching the case," he said.

　　Commenting on the increasing number of anti-dumping cases (in textile and furniture) arising between China and the US, Kantor said it was normal whenever industries shifted from developed to developing countries for such situations to emerge.

　　"China's economy will have more impact on the US and Europe, so the reaction from companies (losing local markets) will be stronger," he added.

　　He stressed that Chinese and US negotiators should work together to ease the impact of the phasing-out of textile quotas by January 2005.

　　Kantor worked with former US President Bill Clinton to conclude more than 200 trade agreements. "The toughest three negotiators I've ever met have been Wu Yi (then Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Co-operation), Charlene Barshefsky (former US trade representative) and YB Dato' Seri Rafidah Aziz (then Malaysia's Minister of International Trade and Industry)," Kantor recalled.