China will select 10 major cities to try out regulations drafted to protect the intellectual property rights of technology designers, according to the State Intellectual Property Office, china Daily reported on December 7.

The selection of cities is just one of the Intellectual Property Office's moves to strengthen China's protection of copyrights.

The number of chosen cities will gradually expand. The government hopes the city-by-city effort will entice developers such as software engineering firms to build up business in China, Ma Lianyuan, vice-commisssioner of the Intellectual Property Office, was quoted as saying.

Ma said his agency is racing against time to help revise China's Patent Law in line with global trends and the needs of new technology developed at home.

Ma said his agency has enhanced its administrative role since it merged last year with the former Conference Office of Intellectual Property Rights under the State Council.

"Although the name of the State-Council-based office has changed, the role of enforcing IPR protection has not been changedor weakened in any way," Ma stressed.

Since last April, more steps have been taken to intensify intellectual property rights protection, Ma said.