Source: China IP News

Over 3,600 enterprises worldwide gathered at China International Import Expo for more business opportunities. More Made in China were sold overseas with the Sino-Europe cross-continent trains running between China and Europe. In 2018, in the background of continuous expansion of opening-up, the determination for foreign businesses to invest in China was assured with tightening of IPR protection. On the other hand, Chinese firms were exporting more energy into high quality IP creations, rendering Bring in and Going out.

As shown by statistics from China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) recently, 148,000 invention patent applications from foreign applicants were received in 2018, up 9.1%, marking at the highest since the 13th Five-Year Plan. Foreign applicants filed 244,000 trademark registration applications, up 16.5% and showcasing a sharp hike.

Foreign firms' confidence on Chinese market comes from the stregthened IPR protection in China. In 2018, China was advancing the fourth overall revision of the Patent Law. The revision draft was submitted to the seventh session of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) for review, elevating statutory damages for patent infringement to 100,000 to 5 million yuan and ordering Internet service providers to take joint responsibility. Meanwhile, CNIPA along with 37 other ministries jointly established a legal punishment system over serious dishonest debtors in intellectual property (patent) field. IP authorities nationwide organized special trademark and patent law enforcement campaigns including "Suyuan (tracing the origin)", "Jinghua (purifying)" and "Leiting (thunder)", handling 77,000 patent infringement and counterfeit cases, up 15.9%; and 31,000 trademark law violations with proceeds of 550 million yuan. There were 43 IPR protection centers and IPR rapid right enforcement centers, spreading the geographic range of protection. The general public was more satisfied with IP protection according to census.

In parallel, another group of numbers also rate our attention. According to statistics released by CNIPA, 58 Chinese firms filed 100 or more PCT international patent applications in 2018, 14 more than that in 2017. China saw 23.5% up in Madrid System trademark international registrations, ranking the 3rd in filed Madrid System trademark applications in the Madrid Union. As shown by USPTO, Chinese firms obtained 12,589 patents in the US in 2018, up 12%, becoming the 5th country in obtaining US patents, after the US, Japan, South Korea and Germany. While building a sound innovation and business environment, and strictly protecting legal enterprises IPR, Chinese firms were accelerating intellectual property mapping overseas, and showcasing vigorous energy in international competition. 

"I appreciated the impressive achievements China has made. Over the past 40 years, China has established a high-level IPR protection system, making intellectual property rights as the driving force of innovation and economic development, while treating Chinese and foreign enterprises in an equal way. I believe that China's progress will continue," noted Francis Gurry, Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). He thought highly of strict IPR protection in opening-up of China, but also expressed expectation of Chinese firms making the best of global intellectual property system to participate international competition.