Beijing in May is full of sunshine. In a reception room in the China's State Intellectual Property Office (SIPO), a tall, slim ethnic Chinese female, dressed in black suit, attracts people's attention. That is Michelle K. Lee, the newly appointed Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and the Deputy Minister of US Department of Commerce.

"As the first ethnic Chinese female Director of the USPTO, the opportunity to visit China to discuss intellectual property issues made me very excited." Michelle K. Lee said in an interview by the reporter of China Intellectual Property News, and she appreciated on China's intellectual property rights: "China has been greatly improved intellectual property protection, especially in the revision of patent legislation and the establishment of three intellectual property rights courts, which benefits from the Chinese government's attention and support on intellectual property. USPTO is willing to provide effective protection to the patentees from both countries, which is also helpful to the development of both countries. "

"We signed a memorandum of cooperation and understanding with SIPO, for the cooperation framework for two offices on further bilateral exchange each year and other cooperative projects in intellectual property." On face of opportunities and challenges such as the current global economic environment and increasingly complex intellectual property issues, Lee believes that, it is essential to strengthen cooperation between the USPTO and SIPO through close exchanges to improve intellectual property management system and efficiency as well as to jointly deal with the complex and changing international situation.

Lee said: "In order to promote innovation and economic development, USPTO hopes to protect the rights and interests of patentees and the interests of third parties on licensing, use and transfer of technology. We have carried out an important work in China, and three IPR commissioners are sent to Beijing, Guangzhou and Shanghai, where the intellectual property courts were established, to help US companies seek for a transparent and legal environment. I always try to make myself a part of innovation and get involved in the economic development. I often call USPTO ‘Agency for Innovation', and now I am the head of the ‘innovation Agency' to promote innovation. "

Currently, the global IP business is constantly changing. On the way of IP development, SIPO and USPTO are both facing the opportunities and challenges. "SIPO is an important partner of IP5 Offices, and we expect two sides to further strengthen cooperation and jointly contribute to the global IP development." Michelle K. Lee said. 

(China IP News)