The local customs bureau received 20 patent-related appeals and dealt with 24 cases on intellectual property rights last year, 3.43 times more than the previous year.

Most of the counterfeits were ferreted out in exports, involving products like socks, watches, batteries and cosmetics labeled with some internationally well-known brands.

Guangzhou customs has spared no efforts in tightening inspection on imports and exports and keeping its staff abreast of the latest knowledge on how to deal with piracy cases.

In a demonstration of its crackdown on the violation of intellectual property rights, Guangzhou burnt some 200 car mats counterfeiting some international trademarks on Dec. 4.

(Xinhua News Agency February 9, 2003)