On January 21, the National Conference of Director-Generals of Local Intellectual Property Offices was held in Beijing. Under the guidance of the Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, the meeting implemented the spirit of the 19th CPC National Congress, the second, third, fourth and fifth plenary session of the 19th CPC Central Committee and the Economic Work Meeting of the CPC Central Committee in an all-round way, made a thorough study of and implemented the spirit of the important speech made by General Secretary Xi Jinping when presiding over the 25th collective study session of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee. The meeting implemented the decisions and deployment made by the CPC Central Committee and State Council as well as the requirements of the National Market Supervision and Regulation Meeting; reviewed and summarized the work related to national intellectual property rights during the 13th Five-year Plan and in the year of 2020, clarified the overall thinking of 14th Five-year Plan, and deployed key work for 2021. 

State Councilor Wang Yong's important instructions on intellectual property work was conveyed at the meeting. Zhang Gong, chief of the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR), attended the meeting and delivered a speech. Yang Yizheng, group leader of the discipline inspection and supervision group of the National Supervision Committee of the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection stationed at SAMR, member of the leading party group of SAMR, attended the meeting. Shen Changyu, commissioner of CNIPA, made a work report.

The representatives at the meeting agreed that the important instructions of State Councilor Wang Yong fully recognized the achievements made in intellectual property work during the period of the 13th Five-year Plan; and placed ardent hope and proposed clear requirements with regards to follow-up work. The cadres and staff of the national intellectual property system were deeply encouraged and inspired, and they will study these instructions conscientiously for a thorough understanding, implement them in every detail, and strengthen the protection of intellectual property in an all-round way, promoting the high quality development of the cause of intellectual property. 

Zhang Gong fully recognized the remarkable effect of intellectual property work made in 2020 in his speech. He pointed out that under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with comrade Xi Jinping at its core, the departments of intellectual property at all levels firmly implemented the decisions and deployment of the CPC Central Committee and State Council; they met difficulties head-on, and carried out reform with keen determination, achieving remarkable results in all respects in the past year. CNIPA took active and positive measures in the prevention and control of the epidemic of Covid-19, increased efforts to protect intellectual property, promoted service in creation and application, deepened international cooperation and exchanges, and strengthened Party-building in an all-round way, concluding the work of the 13th Five-year Plan satisfactorily. He reiterated that strengthening intellectual property protection work in an all-round way is an essential requirement to adapt to the new development stage, an important underlying force to serve and construct the new development pattern, and a key link in building a high-standard market system. The intellectual property system needs to comprehend the spirit of the 5th plenary session of the 19th CPC Central Committee and that of the important speeches made by General Secretary Xi Jinping thoroughly, be fully aware of the great significance of intellectual property protection in the new situation and perform in the key area of intellectual property in 2021. First, greater importance should be attached to the function of protecting intellectual property in the improvement of business environment so as to protect innovation and optimize a market-oriented, law-abiding and internationalized business environment. Second, greater importance should be attached to the top-level design of intellectual property, and the quality of the supply system should be promoted by the support of policies. Third, greater importance should be attached to the practice of using intellectual property to protect forces on all sides, thus building a pattern of comprehensive protection. Fourth, greater importance should be attached to the coordination of intellectual property and market regulation to promote the comprehensive effect of market regulation. Fifth, greater importance should be attached to the organic connection of intellectual property and international rules for investment and trade so as to provide better service for high-level opening to the outside world. Sixth, greater importance should be attached to deepening the efforts to enforce strict Party discipline, providing a sturdy political and work style guarantee for the development of the cause.

In his work report, Shen Changyu reviewed the historic achievements in intellectual property work during the 13th Five-year Plan and its main progress in the year of 2020, and he put forward clear requirements for the thorough study and implementation of the spirit contained in the important speeches made by General Secretary Xi Jinping, clarified the overall thinking for intellectual property work during the 14th Five-year Plan, and arranged key work for 2021. The report pointed out that during the 13th Five-year Plan, the national intellectual property system studied and implemented Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era conscientiously, implemented the important instructions of General Secretary Xi Jinping about intellectual property work in every detail; moreover, all staff members remained true to their original aspiration and bore their mission in mind, overcame difficulties and pressed ahead bravely, completing the national strategic outline of intellectual property and main goals defined during the 13th Five-year Plan and registering historic achievements. Especially in 2020, in the face of the Covid-19 epidemic, the national intellectual property system implemented the spirit contained in the important instructions made by General Secretary Xi Jinping and the policies and arrangements made by the CPC Central Committee and State Council conscientiously, and they carried out all business in coordination with the prevention and control of the epidemic, achieving remarkable results.

The meeting pointed out that General Secretary Xi Jinping presided over the 25th collective study of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee and delivered an important speech, which will serve as an essential action guide for strengthening intellectual property protection work in our country in an all-round way in the new era. The speech is of great political, theoretical and strategic significance for practice in our times. The national intellectual property system should study it thoroughly to grasp its essence and core meaning and implement it in every detail. 

The meeting reiterated that intellectual property work during the 14th Five-year Plan is of great significance, so the important instructions made by General Secretary Xi Jinping about intellectual property should be studied and carried out thoroughly, the "four awareness" strengthened, the "four confidences" consolidated and the "two safeguards" accomplished; the policies and arrangements of the CPC Central Committee and State Council and the requirements of the National Market Regulation Conference should be implemented; the theme of high quality development should be adhered to and strengthening intellectual property protection in an all-round way should be regarded as the main task to promote creation quality, application benefits, management efficiency and service level in intellectual property; and efforts to strengthen the international cooperation of intellectual property protection should be increased to provide a stronger support for building a modernized economic system, trigger the vigor for innovation in the whole society and promote the construction of a new development pattern. 

The meeting arranged the key work in eight aspects for the year of 2021. First, we shall do the top-level design of intellectual property and start the implementation of the strategy for building a powerful country through intellectual property and the 14th Five-year Plan. Second, we shall seek to build a complete and sound legal system for intellectual property and promote the level of the rule of law in intellectual property. Third, we shall increase efforts to promote creation quality with regards to intellectual property and push forward its high-quality development. Fourth, we are to strengthen intellectual property protection in an all-round way and cultivate a high-standard market system. Fifth, we shall improve benefits in the transformation and application of intellectual property and support the development of the real economy. Sixth, we will launch the program for promoting the public service ability of intellectual property, and serve the innovation-driven development in a better way. Seventh, we shall advance the international cooperation and competition of intellectual property protection in overall coordination, and serve the opening to the outside world in a better way. Eighth, we shall lay a solid foundation for the development of intellectual property and make efforts to improve management and service levels.

The meeting reiterated that we must insist on the overall leadership of the Party over the cause of intellectual property if we are to perform in this field, and that we ought to grasp the new requirements put forward by the Party and nation with regards to intellectual property work from the political perspective, so as to enhance ability in political judgment, comprehension and implementation. We should strictly enforce the normal prevention and control of the Covid-19 epidemic and implement all the detailed epidemic prevention and control measures; actively give play to the advantage of intellectual property to facilitate breakthrough efforts in the prevention and control of the epidemic and its scientific research; and implement the task of "six stabilizations" and "six safeguards".

Gan Shaoning, deputy commissioner of CNIPA, reiterated in his summarizing speech that we should continue to study and comprehend the spirit contained in the important speech made by General Secretary Xi Jinping, further unifying our thought and promoting understanding; accurately grasp the new situation/task/requirement in the development of intellectual property, highlight key work, and serve the overall situation of our nation in a better way; and shoulder responsibility, lay stress on the actual effect of our work, and guarantee the implementation of all tasks deployed at the meeting.

The meeting was held in the form of video conference. Leaders from the National Intellectual Property Administration such as He Zhimin, Liao Tao and Zhou Huiguo,  relevant responsible comrades from the discipline inspection and supervision group of the National Supervision Committee of the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection stationed at SAMR, and relevant responsible comrades from the Patent Bureau of CNIPA attended the meeting. The relevant departments of the CPC Central Committee and state organs were invited to attend the meeting. The responsible comrades from the intellectual property management departments of all the provinces (autonomous regions, cities), Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, cities specifically designated in the state plan, and sub-provincial level cities, main responsible comrades from the National Defense Intellectual Property Bureau, main responsible people and relevant comrades from the organs, Patent Bureau, and Trademark Bureau of CNIPA as well as other units directly under the leadership of CNIPA and social organizations participated in the meeting at the main meeting-place and sub venues respectively. (Translated from CNIPA Website Chinese Version)