On the morning of May 25, 2019, the 15^th China (Wuxi) International Design Expo (hereinafter referred to as the Design Expo) opened in Wuxi, “the city of design” in China. Vice Chairman Hua Jianmin of the 11^th NPC Standing Committee attended the opening ceremony. Commissioner Shen Changyu of China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA), Deputy Director-General Wang Binying of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and heads of relevant ministries including the Ministry of Science and Technology and international organizations also attended and addressed the opening ceremony.

Shen Changyu remarked that since the reform and opening-up and the establishment of Chinese IP system, the amount of design application in China had seen a rapid growth and the protection system of design application had been continuously improved. At present, with the further promotion of the supply-side structural reform and the comprehensive implementation of the building of an IP power, CNIPA was striving to promote the creation and application of design, enhance the efforts on design protection, actively strengthen the international cooperation in design and promote the high-quality development of the design field. He also said that at present, CNIPA was negotiating with WIPO on joining Hague Agreement Concerning the International Registration of Industrial Designs, which would help Chinese enterprises to acquire protection over design in a more convenient way in foreign countries, and allow Chinese creation, design and production to go to the world in a better way.

Wang Binying pointed out in her speech that industrial design was an important element of IP; it not only contributed to the economic growth, but also fitted into people’s lives. China made remarkable achievements in innovative-driven development, as well as blended in and played an important role in the global design field. In recent years, WIPO actively fostered IP cooperation with Chinese governments at all levels, and boosted greater achievements of Chinese IP work, industrial design included.

Before the opening ceremony, Shen Changyu and other officials also visited the site of the Design Expo and listened to the introduction of some design works on display. Responsible comrades of relevant CNIPA departments participated in activities of the Design Expo.

Themed as “New Design, New Wisdom, New Life”, the Design Expo brings together well-known enterprises, design institutions and trade associations at home and abroad and mainly exhibits the latest achievements in the design field. 134 domestic and foreign exhibitors and over 60 international guests attend the Design Expo. The 8^th Taihu Lake Award Design Competition and many theme forums will be held at the same time. (Translated from CNIPA Website Chinese Version)