Sponsored by SIPO, the China-ASEAN IP Symposium is held by Yunnan IP Administration in Kunming of Yunnan Province on October 21, 2008. Ten representatives from IP circle in China and eight ASEAN members have deep exchanges and discussions on topics of common concern.

According to Gan Shaoning, Director of SIPO General Affairs Office, strengthening cooperation between China and ASEAN countries in IP realm for exchanges and seeking common ground can promote the improvement, perfection and coordinative development of IP systems in China and ASEAN nations, encourage and improve scientific and technological innovation capacity, create sound regional investment environment and promote economic prosperity and trade exchanges. It will exert important significance in terms of consolidating and deepening China-ASEAN strategic partnership and realizing the all-dimensional and win-win cooperation goals of joint development and mutual benefit. A related official from ASEAN Secretariat says that IP cooperation is an important link in ASEAN's economic blue print; we hope to continue the cooperation with SIPO so as to make ASEAN an important and trustworthy partner globally in creating long-lasting commercial value and top intelligence.

During the three-day symposium, participants will have deep exchanges and discussions on China's national IP strategy, improving the public IP awareness, trademark disputes and handling, development and application of Patent Cooperation Treaty in China, collective management of copyrights, judicial procedures of IPR protection, traditional knowledge protection and administration, how enterprises can utilize IPRs and the transformation, implementation and administration of IPRs. Meanwhile, participants will have a round-table discussion on IP cooperation between China and ASEAN.

With the acceleration of the construction process of China-ASEAN Free Trade Area in recent year, China and ASEAN are now the fourth largest trade partners of each other and their desires of strengthening IP cooperation also increase greatly. The symposium is one of the projects under the framework of China-ASEAN Cooperation Fund. In 2005, SIPO uses the fund to sponsor the China-ASEAN IP Workshop.