Thousands of vessels on rivers are competing for the advancement, and intellectual property is marching forward. Accompanying with the driving force of the 40^th year of the reform and opening-up, China's IP cause has gone through another extraordinary journey, and embraces the hopeful year of 2019. At this great moment of ringing the old year out and the New Year in, I'd like to, on behalf of the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA), express my New Year greetings to all the cadres and employees and retired veteran comrades of the national IP system, and my sincere gratitude to leaders at all levels and friends from all circles who care about and support the development of China's IP cause!

The year 2018 which is just behind us has been an extraordinary year for the development of IP cause. In 2018, under the guidance of Xi Jinping's Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New era and the strong leadership of the Central Party and the State Council, we completed the IP institutional reform successfully, achieved historical reconstruction of management system and operation mechanism, and laid solid foundation for promoting the modernization of IP governance system and governance capacity. The Amended Patent Law (Draft) has been submitted to the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress for deliberation; the draft incorporates various important measures including establishing punitive damages mechanism for IP infringement and extending protection duration for design patent. Establishment of the joint punishment mechanism for serious breach of trust in the IP field has been accelerated, and IP protection has been strengthened overall. Quality and efficiency of IP examination has been continuously improved, work procedures have been simplified, and the masses have more sense of gain. The total amount of pledge financing of patents and trademarks exceed RMB 100 billion yuan, the export value of IP royalty has met the goal set by the 13^th Five-Year Plan for IP ahead of time. We successfully held the 2018 High-Level Conference on IP for Countries along Belt and Road, and accelerated the construction of the new pattern for global IP cooperation, i.e., "multilateral, surrounding, small multilateral and bilateral linkage as well as coordinated growth". We released a series of policy measures to promote the high-quality development of IP, restricted poor-quality applications and stroke abnormal applications with unprecedented resolution and strength, and vigorously promoted the continuous and healthy development of China's IP cause. Over the past year, we achieved many big things, good things and practical things laying the foundation and benefiting the future, added an amazing chapter to the IP development, made vivid footnotes to the 40^th anniversary of the reform and opening-up and the 10th anniversary of implementation of the Outline of the National Intellectual Property Strategy , and more importantly, laid solid foundation for the IP work in 2019.

Looking back on the extraordinary journey we have gone through in the 40 years of the reform and opening-up, we can't help but feel an upsurge of emotions. During the past 40 years, with the spirit of tackling hard issues in the reform and the open and cooperative mind, we have promoted the IP cause to achieve the historic leap of zero to one and small to large step by step, made China a genuine IP power, provided strong supports for the reform and opening-up, and made due contribution to the development of the global IP cause. Especially since the 18th National Congress of CPC, under the strong leadership of the Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at the core, the nation has enforced a series of important measures in the IP field, led the IP cause to achieve great development and improvement, and launched the new journey of construction of an IP powerful country.

The horn sounds urge people to march forward and start a new journey at top speed. 2019 is the 70^th anniversary of the founding of the new China, the new starting point of the reform and opening-up, as well as the opening year after the IP institutional reform. We expect for a flying start of the opening year, and the new year should begin with a new image. In the new year, we will adhere to the guidance of Xi Jinping's Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New era, conscientiously implement decisions and deployments of the Central Party and the State Council, and strive to break new grounds for the construction of an IP powerful country. We will, with higher goals, formulate an outline of intellectual property powerful country strategy for 2035, and draw a grand blueprint for the construction of an IP powerful country in the new era. We will continue to unswervingly promote the stable and high-quality development of the IP cause, regard "quality" as the lifeline, main theme and commitment, and integrate it into every aspect of work. We will continue to promote the implementation of all policies and measures for strengthening IP protection, form better environment for business and innovation, and foster enthusiasm of the whole society for innovation, creation and entrepreneurship. We will further promote the comprehensive application of IP, improve public services, and make IP a surging driving force for the high-quality development of economy. We will participate in the global IP cooperation in a more active way, safeguard multilateralism, improve global governance and promote common development. We will unswervingly deepen reform, strengthen Party building and construction of the Party conduct and of an honest and clean government, conform to the change of time, system and mechanism, deepen the transformation of function, method and style, improve the efficiency of management to the utmost extent, stimulate vitality of market to the utmost extent, and give the utmost play to the important role of IP in promoting innovation and urging openness.

"The sea is more turbulent when sailing in the middle, and the mountain is more steep on the hillside". As IP practitioners in the new era, we will more closely unite in the surroundings of the Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at the core, and, with pioneering spirit, down-to-earth vigor and tenacity, promote the IP cause to go through the billow and develop innovatively, and embrace the 70^th anniversary of the founding of the new China with excellent performance!