China's intellectual property office on Thursday denied a local newspaper report that it had launched a monopoly probe of US software giant Microsoft.

"We have never carried out investigations on suspected market monopoly against enterprises, and currently we do not have any plans for this type of work either," the State Intellectual Property Office said in a statement.

The Shanghai Securities News reported on Wednesday that the office and some research institutions had targeted Microsoft and other global software firms over suspected monopoly activities.

Firms would be organised to file lawsuits against the software giants after China's debut anti-monopoly law comes into effect on 1 August, unnamed sources told the newspaper.

The probe by Chinese regulators would focus on operating systems and other software developed by international companies that cost much more in China than in the US, one source was quoted as saying.

An official with the State Intellectual Property Office contacted by AFP on Wednesday said an investigation was indeed taking place and that the findings would be released later.

AFP