Source: China Daily

The State Intellectual Property Office has given the green light to an IP protection center for automobiles and motorcycles in Chongqing's Liangjiang New Area, the first of its kind in western China, local media reported.

The China Chongqing Automobile and Motorcycle Intellectual Property Rights Fastaid Center will assist SIPO and the city's IP authorities to provide "a one-stop, green channel" to rights owners in the two industries, a local official said.

The move will inject new momentum into the innovative development of the automobile and motorcycle industries in Liangjiang New Area and help their transformation and upgrade, he noted.

The center will mostly deal with applications for industrial designs and participate in mediating related patent disputes in pre-trial procedures as well as IP aid and services.

In China, industrial design is categorized as a type of patent.

The automotive industry is a pillar sector of Liangjiang's economy. About 2.28 million vehicles were manufactured in the area last year, accounting for 76 percent of Chongqing's total auto production.

The yearly output of the automotive sector in Liangjiang was worth 270 billion yuan ($42 billion) in 2017, with 200 billion yuan of it coming from cars and 79 billion yuan from components and contributing to more than a half of the city's total auto production value.

Liangjiang New Area has attracted eight major carmakers including Chang'an Ford, Beijing Hyundai, and Lifan Motors to make investments.

Together they have a combined yearly production capacity of 3.7 million vehicles, 1 million gearboxes and 4.5 million engines. Supported by 200 component manufacturers, they are capable of generating nearly 500 billion yuan in combined yearly production value, China National Radio reported.

After a trial run, the center will provide rights owners with a fast track to affirming the legal status of their patents involved in disputes, thus accelerating the settlement of infringements and offering a huge boost to related business growth, said a director of the Liangjiang Technology and Innovation Department.

Government data show that nearly 3,760 patent applications were made from Liangjiang last year with the filers being granted 2,568 patents.