BEIJING — Chinese customs authorities have given "punch combos" to violations and illegal activities related to intellectual property rights (IPR) this year as the country steps up efforts in innovation and improving business environment, the General Administration of Customs (GAC) said on April 26.

The administration comprehensively intensified its crackdown on IPR infringements with special campaigns and targeted efforts, GAC official Di Lianzhu said at a press conference regarding an annual report on China's progress in IPR protection and business environment improvement.

Some of the campaigns aim to enhance protection related to delivery channels and goods that are exported or in transit, as monitoring on issues including third-party transit as well as medicines and biological substances is underlined, Di said.

To support the fight against COVID-19, the customs have ramped up the crackdown on infringements related to the export of anti-virus medical materials, he said.

Chinese customs authorities also launched a special campaign on online infringement and counterfeiting. They have worked more closely with e-commerce platforms and the foreign trade system to pinpoint illegal activities and trace to the source of production and sales to facilitate crackdowns, Di said.

The GAC also pledges to expand international cooperation, deepen cross-border joint enforcement operations of customs, and actively participate in IPR affairs in international organizations, including the World Customs Organization, the World Trade Organization, and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).

April 26 is the World Intellectual Property Day, an annual event established by the WIPO to raise awareness of the role that IPR play in encouraging innovation and creativity.

China moved up three slots in WIPO's global innovation index ranking of 2019 to claim the 14th position. The country ranked first in the upper-middle-income group.

The country's business environment is also improving. In 2019, China saw its ease of doing business ranking ascend to 31 from 46 a year ago as one of the top 10 most improved economies, according to a World Bank report.