BEIJING, April 27 -- Chinese Premier Li Qiang met with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Director General Daren Tang on Thursday in Beijing.

Noting that this year marks the 50th anniversary of the cooperation between China and the WIPO, Li said China's head of state has sent a congratulatory letter to a commemorative event marking the 50th anniversary, and China hopes to take this opportunity to push the cooperation to a new level.

Li said China has always attached great importance to intellectual property rights (IPR) protection, implemented the national IPR strategy, and exerted effort to make the country strong on intellectual property.

He said China has made significant improvements in establishing and strengthening the legal protection of IPR, improving the IPR management system, enhancing the awareness of the whole society on respecting and protecting IPR, and handling important infringement cases according to the law.

The premier said that China is an active builder, important contributor and staunch defender of the international IPR system.

Underscoring the importance of IPR, Li said that the work of intellectual property is facing many new issues and challenges, with the development of artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things and other new technologies, as well as the digital economy.

Li said China stands ready to enhance cooperation with the WIPO, and make contributions to creating a sound environment conducive to the creation, protection and application of intellectual property rights.

Tang commended the historic achievements and progress China has made on intellectual property over the past 50 years.

China's intellectual property strategy is exemplary, said Tang, adding that the WIPO has extensive and in-depth cooperation with China in the fields of innovation, technology and digitalization.

Tang said the WIPO will further strengthen cooperation with China in the future to promote the innovative development of the world and the common development of all countries.