Tian Lipu, Commissioner of the State Intellectual Property Office of the P. R. China, met with Yoshiyuki Iwai, Commissioner of the Japan Patent Office, in Beijing on May 4. The commissioners exchanged their views on the Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH).

The SIPO and the JPO have been discussing to start the PPH pilot program between both offices.

This time, both commissioners of the SIPO and the JPO recognized the effectiveness and importance of PPH and agreed on the PPH pre-pilot which would involve only prescribed number of applications.

It is to confirm the internal procedures regarding the PPH pilot program, and only prescribed applications could join the pre-pilot.

When both offices confirm no problem with the internal procedures through the pre-pilot and reach agreement on the PPH pilot program, any applicant may request PPH to each office under prescribed requirements.