CNIPA Commissioner Shen Changyu and SAIP Chief Executive Officer Abdulaziz bin Mohammed Al Suwailem Signing Cooperation Action Plan 2019-2020

On April 9 (local time), Commissioner Shen Changyu of China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) led a delegation to visit Saudi Arabia. He exchanged views with Chief Executive Officer Abdulaziz bin Mohammed Al Suwailem of the Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property (SAIP), and signed the Cooperation Action Plan 2019-2020 with Abdulaziz bin Mohammed Al Suwailem.

During the meeting, Shen Changyu remarked that the good diplomatic relation between China and Saudi Arabia has facilitated their cooperation in the IP field. Last year, both CNIPA and SAIP have expanded their functions in institutional reforms of the two countries, creating a broader prospect for the future cooperation. CNIPA is willing to, under the guidance of Memorandum of Understanding on Bilateral Cooperation and the biennial Cooperation Action Plan between the two offices, join hands with SAIP and further deepen the communication and cooperation in the fields of construction of IP laws and regulations, capacity building, data exchange, trademark and geographical indication, jointly promote the "Belt and Road" IP international cooperation, and better serve the economic and social developments of the two countries.

Abdulaziz bin Mohammed Al Suwailem expressed that CNIPA and SAIP have solid basis for cooperation in the IP field, and SAIP is willing to, together with CNIPA, actively implement the cooperation documents between the two offices, and voluntarily participate in the "Belt and Road" IP international cooperation. During the meeting, the two offices signed the Cooperation Action Plan 2019-2020 .

On April 10 (local time), Shen Changyu met with Director General Abdullah Ibrahim Almoqhim of Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (GCC) Patent Office.

In the meeting, Shen Changyu highly appreciated the active role that GCC has played in promoting its member states to participate in the "Belt and Road" IP cooperation as an observer of the cooperation. He remarked that CNIPA and GCC have maintained close cooperation for years in the fields of patent examination and personnel training and have made remarkable achievements, providing good IP supports for China's communication and cooperation in all fields with the six member states of GCC. In the future, on the basis of further consolidating and developing current cooperation, the two sides may expand the cooperation to exchanges of trademark legal systems and other aspects.

Abdullah Ibrahim Almoqhim spoke highly of China's great achievements in the IP field. He expressed that GCC highly values the IP cooperation with China and the "Belt and Road" IP international cooperation. He appreciated the strong supports that CNIPA has provided for GCC Patent Office in aspects of patent examination and capacity building, and remarked that GCC Patent Office is willing to cooperate with CNIPA to deepen practical cooperation.

According to the Memorandum of Understanding signed with GCC, CNIPA has provided agent patent examination for GCC Patent Office and cooperated with GCC Patent Office in training of examination operation. CNIPA has completed agent patent examination of 4,815 cases accumulatively since 2007, and provided trainings to 71 examiners and officials of GCC and sent five teachers to give lessons in GCC since 2008.

During his visit to Saudi Arabia, Shen Changyu also led the team to pay a formal visit to the Embassy of China in Saudi Arabia, where he briefed on the latest development of China's IP as well as the status of IP cooperation between China and GCC, and exchanged opinions with the embassy on relevant issues. (Translated from CNIPA Website Chinese Version)