Turning a Corner in China? Swiss agrochemicals firm Syngenta has won a lawsuit against two Chinese companies that infringed patent laws by selling one of its insecticides without permission.

The ruling is seen in some circles as a sign that the Chinese authorities are making more efforts to protect intellectual property rights.

Syngenta is one of a number of foreign investors in China taking more aggressive legal steps to crack down on what they see as blatant copyright and patent infringements.