Mr. TIAN Lipu of the SIPO had the second dialogue with his counterpart, Jon W. Dudas, Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) on March 29 in Beijing.

 

After reviewing the successful cooperation between the two offices since 2006, they briefed each other on the recent progress of the two offices and exchanged views on challenges that both of them face in raising patent quality as well as recruitment and training of examiners. They also identified new areas for cooperation in 2007 and looked at prospects for working together in the future. This dialogue was a success.
 

TIAN Lipu briefing on the recent progress in the SIPO during this dialogue

 

During this dialogue, Mr. TIAN recalled his first official dialogue with his US counterpart in 2006, during which this annual dialogue mechanism was established and the Work Plan of Strategic Cooperation was signed by the two offices. Since then, both sides have launched various joint programs such as exchange programs of examiners, examiner training, joint search, joint sponsorship of symposiums on traditional knowledge, inherited resources and folk arts, which helped to improve mutual understanding in patent examination process and staff training. Mr. TIAN felt there was a lot that the SIPO could learn from an established office like the USPTO.

 

Mr. Dudas said that our close cooperation would have a significant bearing on addressing our common challenges when the two offices are among the top five offices with the largest number of filings. In addition, the USPTO has always believed that the SIPO is a forward-looking office, and that mutual cooperation will be a driving force for the development of the IP in the world as a whole.
 
 

Mr. Dudas, Director of the USPTO at the Dialogue

 

Mr. TIAN remarked that as IPR is an important part of sino-US relations, strategic cooperation between the two offices would achieve win-win result for the two offices and help promote bilateral relations. It is his hope that both sides would work together to solve their common challenges in IP by expanding areas of cooperation in the future.

In closing, both sides reached agreement on new projects to launch this year. The two offices will further their cooperation in examiner training, joint search, co-sponsorship of symposium based on their past experiences.

2007-04-05

2007-04-05