The United States has asked the World Trade Organization (WTO) to set up a panel to settle its intellectual property rights (IPRs) dispute with China after the two sides failed to negotiate an agreement.

Sean Spicer, spokesman for the US Trade Representative, said China has taken tangible steps to improve IPR protection and enforcement in recent years, but the US still sees "important gaps that need to be addressed".

Under WTO rules, the WTO Dispute Settlement Body will consider the US request at its next meeting on August 31.