The Ministry of Commerce said Thursday it will set up a legal help center to provide intellectual property right (IPR) protection services for Chinese companies that have businesses abroad.

The move will help reduce Chinese companies' involvement in overseas IPR disputes and frictions, and protect their legitimate rights, the ministry said, without saying when the center will be established.

Chinese companies have encountered an increasing number of overseas IPR disputes in recent years, which have dampened their enthusiasm to compete in global markets and harmed the development of China's economic and trade relations with other countries, the ministry said.

The help center will release early warning information on IPR, establish an IPR law database and IPR dispute settlement mechanisms, and try to improve Chinese companies' capabilities in IPR protection through training, seminars and publicity, the ministry said.