China was among 12 countries cited on this year's "priority watch list" for weak protection of intellectual property rights.

The Special 301 Report released by US Trade Representative Ron Kirk said that a program launched in October by Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao -- China's "Special Campaign" -- might lead to "lasting improvements" in IPR enforcement.

The Special Campaign, originally slated to end in March, has been extended for another three months.

The Special Campaign has targeted "a broad range of intellectual property violations," the report said: illegal downloads of music and movies; CD and DVD piracy; software infringment; and trademark infringement, the latter involving particularly counterfeit mobile phones, auto parts, bulk commodities and pharmaceuticals.

The campaign "appears to have resulted in improved coordination among various IPR enforcement authorities in China at the central, provincial, and local levels," it said.

However, some companies and trade associations reported mixed results and "remain skeptical about whether current activity levels will be maintained once the Special Campaign ends."

Seventy-seven US trading partners were reviewed for this year's report and 42 countries were placed on watch or monitoring lists.

The 12 countries on the priority watch list -- China, Russia, Algeria, Argentina, Canada, Chile, India, Indonesia, Israel, Pakistan, Thailand, and Venezuela -- will be the subject of "particularly intense" bilateral talks in the next year, the report said.

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