The 2nd Intellectual Property and City Development Mayor Forum kicked off on Nov 17 in Hangzhou with 32 mayors from Hangzhou, Shenyang, Nanchang and Xiangtan reaching a consensus on the strategic importance of intellectual property protection. A declaration on making joint efforts in raising public awareness of intellectual property protection was also signed by 23 mayors.

Hangzhou mayor Cai Qi emphasized the necessity of intellectual property protection. He also briefed forum attendees on the Hangzhou municipal government’s campaign to encourage intellectual property protection, adding fostering intellectual property protection is at the top of the Hangzhou municipal government’s agenda.

Thirteen cities, including Hangzhou, Fuzhou, Shenyang and Zhuzhou, were awarded the honor of Intellectual Property Protection Model City.

In a memorandum signed in May between the Hangzhou municipal government and Microsoft, the Hangzhou government promised to reinforce its protection of intellectual property rights and encourage government departments, enterprises, and individual consumers to use authentic software.

The city will cooperate with Microsoft to raise the usage rate of authentic software in enterprises and schools and purify the sales environment in computer and electronic retail stores to reduce the use of fake and pirated software.

By Li Hui