The third Joint Conference of the Sino-Italian Government Conference is recently held in Rome, Capital of Italy. Headed by Secretary General of the Chinese side of Sino-Italian Government Commission, a delegation of Chinese Government Commission, consisting of SIPO and other member units, attends the conference. IP issue becomes one of the focuses at the economic and trade panel meeting.

At the conference, representatives from Italian side such as Italian Trade Commission, Ministry of Environment Protection, Italy-China Foundation and those from Chinese side such as Ministry of Environmental Protection of China, Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development and Ministry of Civil Affairs deliver speeches at the conference. The two sides hold panel meetings on topics such as economic and trade, science and technology, culture and education and some local topics, deeply exchanging views in the key areas of bilateral cooperation in the future. IP issue is one of the focuses in economic and trade panel meeting. SIPO representative briefly introduces China’s IPR protection and answers questions from the participants.

Italian Deputy Foreign Minister Stefania Craxi addresses the opening ceremony. On behalf of Italian Government, she first expresses her profound condolences over the great casualty caused by the violent Wenchuan earthquake in Sichuan Province and shows her admiration to the Chinese people’s great efforts in the quake relief work. Ms. Craxi indicates that the new Italian Government attaches great importance to its relations with China and would like to make joint efforts with Chinese side to constantly promote exchanges and cooperation in areas such as economy and trade, science and technology, IP, environmental protection, personnel training and culture, education and sanitation. Liu Haixing, Secretary General of the Chinese Side of Sino-Italian Government Commission and Deputy Director General of European Region of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China expresses thanks to the emergency aid from Italian Government after the Wenchuan earthquake. He points out that in the next stage, both China and Italy should strengthen cooperation to bring the roles of the Commission into full play so as to energetically promote economic and trade cooperation for mutual beneficial and win-win situation, encourage local exchanges and expand cooperation scope.

At the closing ceremony, Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi and his Italian counterpart Franco Frattini deliver speeches, both giving positive comments to the roles of the Commission. The two ministers also mention the issue of IPR protection. Finally, the two sides sign the Memo of the Third Joint Conference of Sino-Italian Government Commission.

Chinese delegation consists of Ministry of Foreign Affairs, National Reform and Development Commission, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Science and Technology, Ministry of Environmental Protection, Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of Civil Affairs, Ministry of Culture, General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine, SIPO and other member units.