Intellectual property is an increasingly important part of improving China's core competitiveness and restructuring its economy, said Tian Lipu, commissioner of the State Intellectual Property Office.

The commissioner's remarks were delivered in a video speech at the launch ceremony for IP Promotion Week on Friday, which has been scheduled to coincide with the upcoming World Intellectual Property Day on April 26.

IP protection in China has seen "unprecedented fast growth" despite the country's status as a relative latecomer in terms of building and implementing a working system, Tian said.