China prosecuted 40,000 trademark infringement cases in 2004, 51.6 percent more than in 2003, quality control authorities announced here Monday.

More than 5,000 of the cases involved foreign trademarks, up 158 percent year-on-year, the State Administration for Industry and Commerce (SAIC) said.

An official with the SAIC said there were a total of 51,000 trademark cases around the country in 2004.

In Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province, one of the most developed areas in the country, local industry and commerce bureau prosecuted a case which made computer modules with counterfeit trademark of CISCO on them, worth 20 million yuan (2.4 million US dollars).

In Ningbo, in east China's Zhejiang Province, also one of the most developed areas in the country, local industry and commerce bureau prosecuted a case of counterfeit trademarks of PANASONIC and BOSCH worth 600,000 yuan (72,290 dollars).

In Beijing and Shanghai local departments issued bulletins in all markets selling clothing and small articles for daily use, saying it is forbidden to sell goods without authorization. The SAIC said this is a new measure to protect intellectual property rights. The measure protected 65 international brands in the two cities last year.

In 2005 the SAIC said it will further prosecute the infringement of foreign brands and trademarks of food, medicine and agricultural products.

Source: Xinhua