On December 13, 2018, the 5th Multinational Patent Agent Associations Heads Meeting was held in Beijing. He Zhimin, Deputy Commissioner of China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) delivered a speech on the opening ceremony of the meeting, and exchanged views with heads of patent agent associations of various countries presented at the meeting. He Zhimin pointed out that patent agency had played a significant role in the development of China's IP cause; hopefully patent agent associations of various countries may further strengthen communication and cooperation and jointly promote the development of the global IP cause.

He Zhimin introduced in details main functions, work progress and the next key emphasis in work of CNIPA after restructuring. He remarked that CNIPA would continue to strongly advocate multilateralism in IP-related international affairs, further strengthen communication and cooperation with IP authorities and non-governmental institutions including patent agent associations of various countries and areas, face together with other countries the opportunities and challenges of the IP cause brought by the development of new technologies, further improve IP system design, strengthen IP protection in the field of new technologies, reach balance between right owners and the public, and promote the global IP rule to move towards an open, tolerant, balanced and effective direction.

During the meeting, participating heads of patent agent associations of various countries signed the Statement of the 5th Multinational Patent Agent Associations Heads Meeting, and determined that the next meeting will be held in Australia in 2019. Heads of patent agent associations of the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Korea and Japan, heads of the International Federation of Intellectual Property Attorneys (FICPI) and heads and members of the All-China Patent Agents Association together reviewed achievements of previous meetings, introduced latest work progress of various associations, and exchanged in-depth views on influence of new technologies on the patent agency industry and management pattern and mechanism of patent agencies. (Translated from CNIPA Website Chinese Version)