Source: China Daily

Intellectual property is a global issue and key to the growth of an open economy, officials and experts said during the fourth Zijin International IP Summit on Monday in Nanjing, Jiangsu province.

"IP protection plays a role in creating a sound business environment, promoting an open economy and is a requirement for innovation-driven development," said Shen Changyu, commissioner of the National Intellectual Property Administration.

CNIPA has strengthened international cooperation, Shen said. "We have played an active part in the global governance and formulation of international rules in the IP sphere to develop it in an open, inclusive, balanced and effective way."

China and Europe have worked more closely on IP cooperation. A recent example is a joint statement signed by the two sides on geographical indications protection and cooperation.

In addition, CNIPA inked an agreement on GI with France last week during French President Emmanuel Macron's visit to Beijing.

"We will continue to increase international cooperation in the IP field and strive to foster an enabling business environment based on market principles, governed by law, and up to international standards. Our hope is to better support the development of an open economy," Shen said.

During the summit, CNIPA and the European Patent Office jointly released a comparative study on the patent review of computer-based technologies and software, aimed at providing inventors from the two sides with guidance to gain effective IP protection.

"China is one of the largest sources of patent applications in Europe," said Antonio Campinos, president of EPO.

The innovation sector grows and creates value only if it can rely on high-quality patents and a predictable process of patent review, Campinos said.

The study reflects new cooperation between CNIPA and EPO and is a shining example of the active collaboration between the two sides, he said.

Huawei chief legal officer Song Liuping said IP has been a global issue since it emerged in Europe, especially considering it has close bonds with international trade in goods and services.

IP is relevant to the creations of human beings and involves a large number of innovative activities around the world, he said.

"Standards serve as common platforms to drive industries and integrate premier resources," Song said. "For such platforms, the primary principles are openness and transparency."

IP or innovation relates to technology and law, and it could also be a political issue, he added, calling for noninterference of political factors in dealing with IP issues.

Territoriality is a key feature in IP rights, so mutual respect and understanding is fundamental in international exchanges, he added.

The world is in the age of the internet, and industries' digital transformation will generate great opportunities, Song said.

"We hope governments and international organizations can make concerted efforts to create a global environment conducive to innovation and development," he said.

Yang Jun, an academician of the Canadian Academy of Engineering, said industrial competition ranges from price, quality and IP to standards.

Industrial software is a process to turn technologies and knowledge into digital devices and software, which is essential to modern manufacturing, Yang said.

The software tends to provide services with open platforms, he said.

However, infringement on software occurs often due to low costs of violations, according to Yang. "Industrial software is the core competitiveness of manufacturing and its IP protection is a must," he said.

Co-hosted by the Nanjing city government and the Intellectual Property Office of Jiangsu, the annual event has organized a series of parallel sub-forums and attracted some 1,600 participants from around the world.

2019-11-15