China has made very important progress in intellectual property protection and Microsoft Corp. hopes for long-standing cooperation with China, Microsoft's Vice President Pamela S. Passman has said in an interview with Xinhua.

In the interview conducted on the eve of Chinese President Hu Jintao's visit to the United States on April 18-21, Passman said that China saw some very important progress in the intellectual property protection last year and Microsoft appreciated very much for the Chinese government's focus on the issue.

Passman, who has been in charge of intellectual property protection in the past 10 years for Microsoft, also said the Chinese government has been working both at the central and provincial level, trying to convey to the Chinese industries and society the importance of the intellectual property rights.

The Chinese government has issued recently the mandate requiring all computers sold in the country to install genuine operating systems, she said.

"This is very significant for the software industry, a very important step by the Chinese government," Passman added.

Meanwhile, the vice president pointed out Microsoft has a long-standing commitment to helping China's economic and IT development while maintaining a long-standing and positive dialogue with the Chinese government.

As the world's largest software developer, Microsoft has 2,000 employees in China, its largest group of employees anywhere outside the United States.

Microsoft's strategy and goal in China was to be fully integrated with the local market through its collaboration with industries and to create outstanding software products and solutions that met the needs of the market in the country, she said.

She also said Microsoft had significant partnerships not only with many Chinese companies in the software, hardware and telecommunications sectors but also with universities.

"This has been a long-term commitment on the part of Microsoft in working with many different government ministries that are critical to the development of the IT sector in general, to education, in learning and training," said the Microsoft's vice president of Global Corporate Affairs.

Since Microsoft opened its first China representative office in Beijing in 1992, the software giant has established a close relationship with the Chinese government, partners, and customers with a view to supporting China's IT efforts in various areas, she said.

"Microsoft was committed to helping China's social and economic development. We think we can help in many ways, first and foremost, in working with the Chinese government and Chinese industries to develop a vibrant, innovative Chinese software sector," she said.

During President Hu's visit, he will tour Microsoft and meet the company's senior executives, including Chairman Bill Gates and CEO Steve Ballmer.

Founded in 1975, Microsoft Corp. has developed to become a worldwide best known software maker. The Redmond-based company now has more than 50,000 employees and 60 foreign offices worldwide.

Source: Xinhua