The Chinese government has unveiled a nationwide week-long campaign to help increase public awareness and respect for intellectual property rights (IPR) and fend off counterfeit products.

Jointly sponsored by 13 government departments, including the National Office of Rectification and Standardization of Market Economic Order, the Ministry of Public Security and the General Administration for Industry and Commerce, the "IPR Protection Week" program that began Wednesday is believed to be the country's largest.

As part of the program, the organizers are attempting to get 1 million people to sign names on a banner in support of IPR protection. Representatives of government branches and honor guests attending the opening ceremony of the program signed their names.

"The purpose of the program is to create a healthy environment for IPR protection in the society via borrowing strength from the masses," said Zhang Zhigang, head of the National Office of Rectification and Standardization of Market Economic Order, which checks and standardizes the country's economic markets.

Journalists are also invited to participate in a year-long interviewing activity that aims to spread IPR awareness and knowledge among the public.