On April 7, the Free Trade Agreement Between the Government of the People’s Republic of China And the Government of New Zealand (hereafter referred to as the Agreement) is formally signed in Beijing. According to the Agreement, which covers areas such as trade in goods, trade in service, investment and intellectual property, China and New Zealand are to make efforts to establish and intensify cooperation between SIPO, as well as other related organizations, and Intellectual Property Office of New Zealand (IPONZ).

The Agreement clarifies that the two parties recognize the importance of intellectual property rights in promoting economic and social development, particularly in the new digital economy, technological innovation and trade. Each Party shall establish and maintain transparent intellectual property rights regimes and systems and reaffirms its commitment to the TRIPS Agreement and any other multilateral agreement relating to intellectual property to which both are party. The two parties agree to cooperate in areas of notification and exchange of information, cooperation and capacity building, encourage and facilitate the development of contacts and cooperation between their respective government agencies, educational institutions and other organizations with an interest in the field of intellectual property rights, and conduct cooperation in areas of promotion of the awareness of intellectual property rights and systems. The Agreement requires that both parties may establish appropriate measures to protect genetic resources, traditional knowledge and folklore.

The Agreement contains clear stipulations on many specific issues such as trade in goods, trade in service, movement of natural persons and investment. Meanwhile, the Agreement makes systematical arrangement in customs procedures and cooperation and sanitary and phytosanitary measures.

The Agreement is the first overall free trade agreement China ever signs with other countries, as well as China’s first free trade agreement with developed countries. It is an important measure to promote China’s opening up program after the country enters the World Trade Organization six years ago, as well as an important part of China’s implementation of the Free Trade Area Strategy put forward at the 17th National Party Congress of CPC.