China’s trade ministry set up a special office at the CeBIT computing trade fair in Germany in a bid to head off disputes over alleged illegal copying of products. Past fairs have been marred by complaints from western companies that Chinese manufacturers have used proprietary software or product designs without paying royalties to the inventors for intellectual property rights (IPR.) German customs agents have confiscated the products after receiving complaints of breaches of copyright or patents.

Chinese firms have sometimes said they are practically defenceless against unjustified claims if their staff do not know German. The first China IPR Desk to ever operate at CeBIT is to mediate in disputes, but also protect Chinese firms from unfair complaints. “We want to strengthen awareness among Chinese firms of intellectual property,” said Chong Quan, a senior ministry official, in Hanover at the March 3-8 fair, the world’s biggest combined computing and telecoms trade show.