After IP theft boom, watchdog gets tough

Regulator plans to combine 'offline enforcement teams' with online ones to improve efficiency

China will increase its efforts in fighting intellectual property violations, especially those that affect people's livelihoods and the e-commerce sector, after a boom in such cases in recent years, said an official from the national IP protection watchdog on Tuesday.

Shen Changyu, director of the State Intellectual Property Office, said e-commerce, which has undergone fast development in the country, has led to more IP infringements and noted the situation has become a hot topic among the public.