NANJING - Chinese enterprises became more aware of intellectual property protection and are increasingly equipped with patent teeth to sharpen their competitiveness, an official said Wednesday.

Along with rising invention patents, holders are turning to the law to better protect their intellectual property rights, He Hua, vice-director of the State Intellectual Property Office, said at a conference on intellectual property strategies in Nanjing.

Legal cases in this area reached 5,942 in the first ten months of the year, surging 146 percent year on year.

Rising lawsuits reflect China's resolution and its stepped-up efforts to create a better environment for patented inventions and application of them, He said.

Governments of nearly all provincial-level regions have rolled out specific guidelines to protect intellectual property rights.

China will continue to battle infringements and make patented inventions a driving force of the economy, He said.