SME Cooperation Forum

China-US IPR Cooperation Forum held in Washington DC

Chong Quan, Deputy China International Trade Representative, attended and addressed the Opening Ceremony of 2012 China's Overseas IPR Exchange Tour and the 2nd China-US International Cooperation Forum on IPR, on September 19th, in Washington DC, U.S.A.

Mr. Chong said that, encouraging innovation and protecting intellectual property rights (IPR) are the inner requirement for China's ongoing efforts for economic restructuring and industrial upgrading, and the need to conform to future economic and social development trend. Based on the relatively complete legislation and law enforcement system on IPR, China paid more efforts to IPR protection work in recent years. Chinese government put forward the goal of constructing an innovative nation, and upgraded its IPR protection system into a national strategy. China's 12th Five-Year Development Plan promulgated in 2011 defines science and innovation as an important tool to support the country's shift of economic growth model, and stresses the need to "improve relevant legislation to help strengthen the creation, application, protection and management of intellectual property

Mr. Chong also said that from September 2010 to June 2011, after the nine-month special campaign against IPR infringement and counterfeits, the State Council set up a leading group against IPR infringement and counterfeits headed by Vice Premier Wang Qishan, in November 2011. The leading group aimed to lead the national work to crack down upon IPR infringement and manufacture and sales of counterfeiting and shoddy commodities, and has formed a long-term mechanism of IPR protection. The leading group is responsible for researching and defining the focus of national work against IPR infringement and counterfeits of the whole year and each quarter, making the general arrangement and coordinating the work advancement. Since its establishment, legal and standard system on IPR has been improved, and connection of administrative and criminal law enforcement on IPR has been advanced; more efforts on the rectification of major commodities, fields and markets have been paid; capability of law enforcement and crackdown is strengthening and regional coordination on law enforcement has made positive progress. Until May of 2011, 135 central government and national organs completed inspection and rectification on software, and purchased 91.8 thousand sets of authorized operating system, office and anti-virus software, with value reaching 77.23 million yuan. Urged by the State Council, the utilization of authorized software by the governments at provincial level has concluded by June 2012 as scheduled. The work of eliminating pirated software and utilization authorized software in governments at municipal and county level will be completed by the end of 2013.

Mr. Chong pointed out that the development of Internet industry is entering its golden times, at the same time, IPR protection on the Internet is becoming increasingly sharp. Against the economic and technological background at the new era, to cope with the new challenges in IPR protection can not do without the close cooperation among nations. Only cooperation based on mutual trust, mutual understanding and win-win results can bring along impetus and room for development. In IPR protection, the Chinese government has always been trying to carry out all-round and multi-tiered exchanges and cooperation with all nations and regions in the world. Besides the communication mechanism of the IPR working group with the US, EU, Japan, Switzerland, Russia and Brazil, China has started all-round and comprehensive IPR cooperation programs with the EU since 1996, and cooperation program for the third phase is set in motion. The cooperation program has deepened understanding on each other’s IPR system, effective and mutually beneficial, and it is a model of cooperation between developing countries and developed countries in IPR protection.

Chong Quan said that the Framework Agreement on China-US Intellectual Property Cooperation was signed at the 22nd session of the Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade (JCCT) under joint efforts of the two parties in 2011, opening a brand new page in China-US IPR cooperation. The Framework Agreement not only covers traditional areas of intellectual property, but also aims to solve new problems, and focuses on the involvement and capacity building of local government. In order to successfully implement the projects in the Agreement, China and the US carried out many rounds of discussions on the arrangements and contents of the projects. He believed that China and the US will push forward IPR cooperation through sincere and pragmatic cooperation.

Chong Quan pointed out that the global economy is facing a complicated situation. China, as the world's largest developing country, and the US, as the world's largest developed country, should take a strategic and long-term view, continue to implement free trade policies and oppose trade protectionism, so as to promote the welfare of the people, boost global confidence, and accelerate world economic recovery. According to statistics by the Chinese Customs, China-US trade totaled US$ 313 billion in the first 8 months of 2012, with a year-on-year growth of 9.6%. China imported US$ 86.6 billion, and exported US$ 226.4 billion, up by 8% and 10.2% respectively. China is the second largest trading partner, the largest source of imports and the third largest export market for the US. The stable development of China-US economic and trade relations is a result of the increasingly interwoven global economy, and the frequent dialogues and exchanges between the two countries. China-US IPR cooperation has practical significance. IPR, which is most closely linked to innovation, should inject new vigor into the economic and trade relations between the two countries. Chong Quan believed that IPR cooperation between China and the US will be more vigorous, and their economic and trade relations will bear tremendous fruit.

The 2nd session of China-US International Cooperation Forum on IPR, which is sponsored by the Chinese Ministry of Commerce, is an important part for 2012 China's Overseas IPR Exchange Tour. Kappos, Deputy Secretary of Commerce and Director of Patent and Trademark Office of US, addressed the forum. A total of 150 representatives from relevant government departments and enterprises of the two countries including China’s Supreme People's Court, Supreme People's Procuratorate, the Ministry of Commerce, the Ministry of Public Security, the Ministry of Culture, the General Administration of Customs, State Administration for Industry and Commerce, National Copyright Administration, Office of Legislative Affairs and Intellectual Property Office, and US Commerce Department attended the forum. A series of exchange activities for 2012 China's Overseas IPR Exchange Tour will be held in Washington D.C., Salt Lake City and Los Angeles of US and Brussels of EU.