China will properly handle the United States' request for consultations regarding the protection of intellectual property rights in accordance with the World Trade Organization's dispute settlement procedures, the Ministry of Commerce said in a statement on Saturday.

The ministry's comments came after the Office of the US Trade Representative submitted a consultation request to China under the WTO's dispute settlement mechanism on Friday, alleging that the Chinese government's measures "did not comply with the relevant agreement regarding the conditions for technology licensing".

China has already received a request for consultation from the US, an official from the ministry's Department of Treaty and Law said.

The ministry said the Chinese government has always attached great importance to the protection of intellectual property rights and has taken many effective steps to protect the legitimate rights and interests of both domestic and foreign businesses.

"The achievements have been obvious to all. China has always respected the WTO rules and maintained the multilateral trading system," the statement said.