Shen Changyu and Houmphanh Intharath sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on China-Laos IP cooperation

On April 2nd, SIPO Commissioner Shen Changyu and Houmphanh Intharath, Deputy Minister of Science and Technology of Laos and Chairman of the Lao National Commission for Science and Technology, held a high-level meeting in Vientiane, Laos. The two sides had an in-depth exchange of views on establishing and expanding China-Laos intellectual property (IP) bilateral relations and then signed the "Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on IP Cooperation between the State Intellectual Property Office of the People's Republic of China and the Ministry of Science and Technology of the Lao People's Democratic Republic." Boviengkham Vongdara, Minister of Science and Technology of Laos and President of the Lao National Academy of Sciences, attended the signing ceremony. According to the MoU, Laos recognizes China's invention patent examination results.

Shen Changyu pointed out that in recent years, China and Laos have achieved positive results in the fields such as IP cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative, China-ASEAN IP cooperation, and examiner training cooperation.  It is of great significance for the two sides to agree on establishing bilateral IP cooperative relations.  Signing the MoU is a milestone of China-Laos IP cooperation. It will provide strong support to the two sides' cooperation in IP policy exchange, examination business cooperation, talent cultivation, information exchange, and automation system. In particular, Laos's recognition of China's invention patent examination results reflects its high recognition of China's invention patent examination quality and high mutual trust between them in IP. It will further promote the investment of Chinese innovation-oriented enterprises in Laos. He believed that the establishment of China-Laos IP cooperative relations will further enhance the two sides' mutual trust and exchanges in IP, promote the two countries' IP development, and contribute more to their technological innovation and economic ties.

Intharath said that the MoU signed this time is the first vital framework agreement on IP cooperation between the two sides. Recognizing China's invention patent examination results reflects that Laos attaches great importance to Laos-China IP cooperation. He hoped that under the guidance of the MoU, the two sides would carry out more broad and in-depth exchange of views on IP, and China would strengthen its support to the Lao IP authorities in capacity building and talent cultivation, so as to promote the common development of the two countries' IP system and make further contribution to their economic and trade development and science and technology exchanges.(Translated from SIPO Website Chinese Version)