Cooperating on IP Protection in China


 

By Jasper MacSlarrow

One of China’s greatest accomplishments is seated in the historical and commercial foundations instilled after thousands of years in practice. However, the most compelling element about China’s culture actually lies in its potential for what is to come. In particular, the growing desire by Chinese leadership and businesses alike to harness a 21st century economy based on innovation and value-add has the potential to spur  far-reaching developments on all aspects of policy affecting international commerce and jobs. In no space is this more apparent than with respect to intellectual property (IP) policy. Already the Chinese government has been amending the Chinese trademark law, patent law, copyright law as well as a number of other key IP policies. What will be next?

With this as a backdrop, the U.S. Chamber is partnering with organizations within China to focus on how best we can work collaboratively to improve China’s IP protection and enforcement.  Following last week’s China-U.S. Cooperation Forum on IPR Protection and Innovation, the Chamber’s International Division and Global Intellectual Property Center, in partnership with China’s leading institution on intellectual property, Renmin University, is launching the U.S. China-IP Cooperation Dialogue. The purpose of these discussions is to continue ongoing collaboration and discussions in the international IP space, while ultimately setting a roadmap between these two economies for bilateral collaboration in the intellectual property fora.

The Dialogue has brought together thought leaders from both countries to explore important IP topics, which could provide opportunities for Sino-U.S. partnership and leadership moving forward. Specifically, areas of interest include (but are not excluded to):

  • Administrative and judicial system
  • Effective IP enforcement
  • Information sharing
  • The use of better case law to inform the Chinese Judiciary
  • Software and online piracy
  • Amendments to the criminal code
  • Trans-border enforcement
  • Pharmaceutical patents issues
  • Challenges within Chinese customs

The U.S.-China IP Cooperation Dialogue will continue this week with several meetings at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and around Washington D.C. and will culminate in a blueprint (to be released later this summer), which will chart out productive steps for enhancing meaningful IP rights and their subsequent protection.

This collaboration between two countries that represent a significant cross-section of the global economy is not only unprecedented, but also critically important for the future of the innovative and creative marketplace. There will be no doubt plenty of opportunities for leadership in this space and we look forward to the Dialogue’s successful completion.


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