Mr. Wang Jingchuan,Commissioner of the State Intellectual Property Office

In 2004, under the guidance of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party and the State Council, the staff of the State Intellectual Property Office (SIPO) accomplished major tasks and explored new horizons of IP work with the down-to-earth attitude and collaboration.

--Extensively conduct special operations on combating counterfeiting production and sale for IP protection. Under the Notice on the Organization of Special Operations on Combating Counterfeiting Production and Sale for IP Protection, issued by the State Lead Group for the Rectification and Regulation of Market Economy (the State Lead Group), the Office sent specific requirements to local offices. The local offices responded actively and conducted their own special enforcement operations. In particular, during the operations from March 20 to April 10, and April 26 operations, local patent enforcement officers conducted many investigations of department stores and large markets. The coalition enforcement was intensified. Typical IP cases were publicized and tried under public inspection. The efficiency was increased. Organized or group patent infringement was effectively put down.

--Intensify internal and external publicity. Following the requirements, further strengthening IP publicity, from Vice Premier Wu Yi at the National Patent Conference, the Office intensified the publicity targeting both home and abroad by adopting several new measures. For example, on the occasion of the fourth World IP Day, the Office along with nine government agencies including the State Lead Group, initiated an IP protection publicity week with the theme, respect IP and maintain market order. The week expanded the public's IP awareness and facilitated a more reasonable, fair and dynamic view from the international community towards China's IP protection. IP training was centered around the new trends and tasks of IP work and the Office's major activities, helping companies and organizations elevate their capability of using IPR, intensifying the growth of IP talents and promoting the in-depth development of the nation's IP work.

-- Actively fulfill the functions granted by the State Council on macro-management of the nation's patent work, play a more active role in the nation's such work and achieve progress. The Office was integrated into the State Joint Mechanism of Trade Facilitation through Science and Technology. As a host, the Office participated in the China International High-Tech Trade Fair for the first time and organized 106 exhibitors to sign the Shenzhen Convention on the Protection of IPR at the China International High-Tech Trade Fair. The Office joined a 17-agency panel chaired by the State Environment Protection Administration for comprehensively protecting and administering the nation's biological varieties. The Office became a member of the 2010 Shanghai EXPO and actively participated in the formulation and implementation of IPR laws regulations in relation with the EXPO preparation. As a member of the State Lead Group and the IP Protection Working Group, the Office actively implemented the tasks assigned at the State Teleconference on IP Protection, promoting the nation's battle against IP violations, counterfeiting production and sale, regulating market economy order.

--Continue construction of IP laws and regulations. Continue preparatory work for the revision of Patent Representation Regulation. Further improve policies on patent filing and examination, patent agent qualification exam and patent administrative enforcement, for example, issuing the Rules on the Electronic Filing of Patent Applications, and Implementing Rules on Patent Agent Qualification Exam, providing the Proposals on Patent Administrative Enforcement, drafting Patent Protection for Exhibitions (opinion-soliciting version) and other policies.

--Coordinate with the enforcement investigation of the National People's Congress and facilitate patent enforcement. The enhancement of patent enforcement made patent administrative enforcement more effective, playing a positive role in protecting the interests of the patent owners and the public as well as maintaining market order.

--By December 31 2004, SIPO had received a total of 2,284,925 patent applications, 1,874,358 of which were from domestic applicants, accounting for 82%. On March 17 2004, the patent applications surpassed two millions. It took only four years and two months to reach the second million, in comparison with the 15 years period for the first million. Patent applications were leapfrogging in the past few years. In 2004, SIPO received 353,807 patent applications of three types, showing an increase of 14.7%. The percentage of invention applications among all domestic ones rose one percent to 23.6%. The number of domestic invention applications kept its edge over foreign ones. The number of domestic service inventions was 111,280, an increase of 8.6%, 41,750 out of the above were invention applications, an increase of 20.2%. The constant application of measures such as elevation of patent examination capability and expansion of examiner team helped shorten the examination period from 30 months in 2003 to 26 months while both the number and quality of patent applications examined were improved. In 2004,190,238 patent rights were granted, an increase of 4.4%. 4,672 requests for reexamination or invalidation were received while 3,114 were resolved. 244 applications for the registration of layout design of integrated circuits while 205 were registered.

--Key projects of the Office's information construction had new development, launching of the patent e-filing system, smooth operation of the National Patent Information Service Platform, National Patent Management Information Platform, Integration of Storage and Expansion of Storage. In addition, international cooperation in the IT area was also conducted.

--Continue providing service in patent documentation, IP publications and patent information and greatly facilitate the dissemination and usage of IP information. 
  
--Further explore international communication and cooperation in the IP area, handle international IP affairs responsibly and effectively facilitate our relationship with the World Intellectual Property Organization and other international organizations. Actively participate in international norm setting. Continue promoting IP cooperation and development in the Asia-Pacific area. Reinforce and strengthen partnership with the European Patent Office (EPO). Sign inter-governmental IP cooperation agreement with Italy. Actively expand bilateral and multilateral communication and cooperation, increase high-level dialogues for more mutual understanding and support. The Office visited the European Union for the first time and sought more common ground and cooperation through dialogue and communication.

--New achievements in infrastructure construction. The patent operation and information building was formally put into use, ensuring the normal operation of patent examination and other work. The second building of the China Intellectual Property Training Center was finished, improving the training conditions for IP talents. 

  
Wang Jingchuan