The United States on Monday requested that the World Trade Organization (WTO) establish a dispute settlement panel to review so-called China's deficiencies in intellectual property rights protection.

 

"The United States and China have tried, through formal consultations over the last three months, to resolve differences arising from US concerns about inadequate protection of intellectual property rights in China," said US Trade Representative (USTR) Spokesman Sean Spicer.

 

"That dialogue has not generated solutions regarding issues we have raised, so we are asking the WTO to form a panel to settle this dispute," he added.

 

"We will pursue this legal dispute in the WTO and will continue to work with China bilaterally on other important IPR issues," he continued.

 

The US initiated the dispute over so-called China's deficiencies in IPR protection by requesting consultations with China on April 10, 2007.

 

Under WTO rules, the WTO Dispute Settlement Body (DSB) will consider the US request to establish a settlement panel at its next meeting on August 31.

 

(Xinhua News Agency August 14, 2007)