The issue focused on why US technology companies were able to target software written in Chinese and source technology from China to avoid laws that give legal protection to technology companies.

The decision was likely to come as a shock to China, which has long accused US companies of seeking to benefit from China's technology market.

The decision was made at a meeting of the technology technology trade body the China Computer Society, which did not release the names of the companies involved.

The technology technology trade body for China (