"Though cracking down on IP infringement is a complex and long-term task, the Chinese government's attitude towards the campaign is firm, and in the future China will continue to strengthen the campaign." SIPO Commissioner Tian Lipu, also a delegate of the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, said firmly when meeting the press.

With the development of economic globalization, IP has become a sensitive political and diplomatic topic as well as a hot economic, technological and cultural issue. During the 18th CPC, IP also gathered serious attention from delegates and the press. In the interview, Tian Lipu on one hand introduced the achievements China has made through data and fact, and on the other hand highlighted China's unwavering position on IP protection.

Great achievements in IP Cause

According to Tian Lipu, SIPO received 526,000 invention patent applications in 2011, enabling China to overtake the U.S. for the first time in invention patent applications, ranking the first in the world and accounting for 25% of the world total. Of the 526,000, 416,000 are from home, representing 20% of the world's total. "In stark contrast, in 2001, less than 40,000 invention patent applications were from home, accounting for less than 5% of the global total." said Tian Lipu.

From piling up quantity of IPRs to highlight IP quality, Chinese innovators' IP awareness is increasingly mature. According to Tian Lipu, in recent years, SIPO has taken a series of measures to enhance independent innovation capacity, for instance, to develop normative guidance for patent financing with other units and provide guidance on local patent incentive measures. Meanwhile, the national IP system also actively assists innovators in making a change from IP quantity to IP quality and structure.

Due to the ever improving IP system, China has successfully protected the interests of right-holders at home and abroad. "China is one of the countries which pay the most royalties for copyright, trademarks, franchise. On one hand, Chinese enterprises buy foreign books, music, movies, TV shows through copyright business, and on the other hand, foreign companies gain high added value through the OEM trade in China. " said Tian Lipu, "It is obvious that China's IP protection has brought much benefit for other countries in the world."

China's attitude on IPR protection is firm

IP protection has attracted more and more attention in a transitional China. In response to the question raised by Reuters stating that the Europe and America do not trust Chinese promise on combating piracy, Tian argued that the piracy does not merely exists in China, but happens in many places of the world and could not be completely eliminated. China has developed a comprehensive IP legal system and combating IPR infringement is a long-term task, China's attitude is firm.

In fact, IP protection mechanism has improved and intensified constantly, which has been high on China's IP agenda since the 16th CPC, in particular after the 17th. "China has gradually intensified IP protection in both administration and judicial measures, and the two tracks meshes very well together over the past decade," according to Tian.

"Targeting on circulation and production chains, China launched a national-wide IP enforcement campaign, and it has increased the pressure on IP infringement concerning livelihoods and key projects and meted out stern punishment to the massive, repeatedly, malicious patent infringement and frauds, and it delivers." said Tian. According to statistics, from January to July this year,  IP authorities across the nation received 894 IP infringement cases, 27 patent dispute cases, seized 1,327 piracy cases, dispatched 18,810 law enforcement officials/times, checked 601,633 products, transferred 9 cases to police, carried out 275 inter-agency and 295 inter-regional joint operations.

"The party's report requires implementation of IPR strategy. In order to reinforce IPR strategy and step up IPR protection, we needs to make concerted efforts to strengthen enforcement and crack down on IPR infringement. China's attitude on this point is firm." Tian stressed.

 

(China IP News)

2012-11-26

2012-11-26