China and the European Union (EU) launched an international symposium on intellectual property rights (IPR) Thursday in Chengdu, capital of southwest Sichuan Province, in a bid to help Chinese enterprises improve their IP awareness and competitiveness after China's entry into the World Trade Organization (WTO).

　　At the opening ceremony of the gathering, themed "WTO Accession and Intellectual Property Rights Enforcement - Strategies for Enterprises", Wang Jingchuan, commissioner of the State Intellectual Property Office (SIPO), said that after China steps into the WTO, all Chinese enterprises would be challenged bymany multinationals in both domestic and overseas markets.

　　The enterprises should make wise use of IPR mechanisms to protect their advanced technologies, Wang said.

　　As one of the large-scale activities on IPR popularization carried out under the EU-China IPR Program, the symposium should greatly enhance the IPR awareness of enterprises in the west of the country, Wang said.

　　The EU and the European Patent Office have offered increasing aid to China to improve their IPR protection, cultivate professional personnel and strengthen legal enforcement, Wang said.

　　More than 20 well-known IPR scholars, government functionariesand officials from international organizations are scheduled to give lectures on three major topics: opportunities and challenges faced by Chinese enterprises after China's WTO accession; development of high technologies and related IPR protection; and IPR strategies for enterprises.

　　Over 180 domestic and overseas delegates are participating in the two-day symposium.