BEIJING -- The Chinese government will ensure that all computer software used by its 135 central government agencies is authorized and legitimate by the end of May, the National Copyright Administration (NCA) said Thursday.

Central government agencies spent a total of 140.91 million yuan (or $21.73 million) to purchase 176,763 legitimate software packages between late October last year and the end of May this year, the NCA said in a statement.

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The purchases included 24.88 million yuan for 66,511 domestically produced software packages and 116.03 million yuan for 110,252 software packages produced by foreign companies.

The NCA said a long-term mechanism has also been established to ensure that only legitimate software will be used by central government agencies.

This development has demonstrated China's resolution to protect intellectual property rights, the statement added.

The State Council, or China's cabinet, issued a regulation in October 2010 that stated that central government agencies must switch to using completely legitimate software by the end of May this year. The regulation also said that local government bodies must do the same by the end of October this year.