David Cameron says tackling Far Eastern rip-offs of British cars is "top of his list" after a furore
The Prime Minister told the Post he intended to take the issue up with political leaders in China after complained
While the car giant's growth has come on the back of soaring sales in the Far East, it has become frustrated at spending billions of pounds a year in research and development - largely in the West Midlands - but seeing rip-off versions sold in China for a fraction of the price.
Mr Cameron said, if he were re-elected, he would be taking the issue up with China's President Xi Jinping later this year. It is absolutely top of my list," he said. "I will be going back to China, if I win the election, on trade missions and political visits.
"The president of China is coming here in the autumn and frankly this will be top of my list. We want a good trading relationship with China. I want a free trade agreement between Europe and China.
"I want us to access Chinese markets - I remember how exciting it was when some of those direct flights started from Birmingham Airport.
"But it has got to be done on a fair basis. You can't have Chinese companies ripping off brands and stealing intellectual property in the way that sometimes presently happens.
"I think it is really quite chilling that this can be happening with cars. The investment in R&D - and I have seen it for myself - the 3D models and design and the massive amount of work that goes into producing a quality product, the idea that that can just be ripped off and re-badged is just not acceptable."
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The Midland car-maker had pledged to take legal action against Chinese carmaker LandWind over its proposed X7 model which bears a striking resemblance to the Evoque.
The row erupted in November last year just weeks after Jaguar Land Rover opened its first Chinese car factory near Shanghai in a joint venture with Chery, creating 2,000 new jobs.
However, its chief executive Ralf Speth was downbeat on the subject, saying: "There are no laws to protect us."
More than a quarter of Jaguars and Land Rovers sold last year were in the China region - a total of 122,010.
However, Jaguar Land Rover spent £2.75 billion last year on research and development, largely in the West Midlands, and has called for better copyright protection.
Mr Cameron told the Post the issue showed the merit of deals like the controversial Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) which aimed to bring down regulatory barriers to trade.
He explained: "One of the reasons for wanting trade deals is that is exactly what you can get stuck into.
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"The people who say 'don't do trade deals, don't have TTIP', they are totally wrong. It is through those trade deals that you can have the necessary regulation to stop what is happening."
Lord Kumar Bhattacharyya, founder of Warwick Manufacturing Group, where much of JLR's research and development is carried out, admitted it was a frustration.
The Labour peer, who was key to Tata Motors' takeover of the car giant, said: "Everybody is frustrated by this - whether it is Chanel perfume or watches, they will do it and there is very little you can do to stop it.
"It is good to see some protest over this but stopping it will be up to the rules and regulations in China."
The Prime Minister was speaking to the Post on a visit to the Longbridge development.
It came just days after both Tory and Labour candidates for the Northfield constituency - Rachel Maclean and Richard Burden - called for Aston Martin, which is reportedly planning to invest in another plant, to plump for Longbridge.
Mr Cameron agreed it sounded like a good idea.
He said: "I would agree, yes, absolutely. I think there is great potential here. One of the exciting things about this plan is you have got the retail, you have got the residential, you have got the anchor tenants like Bournville College and the hotel but also there is the chance of more manufacturing and business jobs.
"The company has been building speculatively and if the economy keeps moving there is no reason why manufacturers, engineers and others shouldn't come here."