Beijing - China is investigating US software firm Microsoft and may allow local firms to take action against it under a new anti-monopoly law, state media said on Wednesday. The State Intellectual Property Office and other government agencies were examining the practices of Microsoft and other international software companies, the Shanghai Securities News reported.
The office might organize some Chinese firms to sue the foreign software companies after the anti-monopoly law takes effect on August 1, the newspaper quoted unidentified industry sources as saying.
The sources blamed the high price of software produced by Microsoft and other global giants for the rampant piracy of software in China, where a package of genuine Microsoft Windows and Office retails at about 7,000 yuan (1,014 dollars), or more than the price of most computers.
"International software firms, taking advantage of their monopoly status, set high prices for the original software," one source was quoted as saying.
"Meanwhile, they criticize China for having little awareness of intellectual property. This is abnormal," the source said.
"When the anti-monopoly law is put into effect, the government and enterprises have the right to correct this situation."
