Microsoft has said that it may take decades to tackle software piracy in large emerging economies despite some recent progress and called on Asian governments to invest more in policing the practice.

"We are realistic in recognising that we have to work diligently over periods, that are really a decade or two, to make real progress in a number of these environments," said Craig Mundie, Microsoft chief research and strategy officer.

Mundie, one of two successors to Microsoft founder Bill Gates next year, said progress had been made in countries like China and Vietnam in recent years to tackle software pirates, which cost the company billions of dollars each year.

However, he said more needed to be done to police the problem.

"Most of the Asian countries have the laws, some of the regulations - they probably need tuning up - but the biggest weakness is very few of them have made the necessary investment on the enforcement side," Mundie said.

Reuters