UK-China Trade Mark Summit Held in Beijing

On 25 August 2016, the UK-China Trade Mark Summit co-hosted by the Intellectual Property Office of the UK, British Embassy Beijing, China Trademark Association, and Intellectual Property Academy of Renmin University of China (RUC) took place in Beijing. The event, themed on trademarks/brands and economic growth, was part of the activities of the UK delegation led by Baroness Neville-Rolfe, Minister of State for Energy and Intellectual Property of the UK, during its visit to China between 20th and 27th August.

The summit was opened and moderated by Prof. Liu Chuntian, dean of IP Academy of RUC. After the opening, Prof. Yao Huanqing, also from the IP academy of RUC, briefed on behalf of the Chinese side about the latest development of the collaborations between China and the UK on IP matters.

The summit featured three main areas, namely, judicial protection of trademarks, international trademark system and international protection of brands, and branding and IP commercialisation. Surrounding these areas, justices and academicians from China and the UK gave inspiring speeches on topics including: trademark protection of the UK and European Union (EU) in practice; challenges related to judicial trademark protection under the new Chinese Trademark Law and tackling strategies; judicial trademark protection in comparative perspective; protection of brands under international trademark system; updates on trademark protection in China and the UK; status quo of UK trademark agency industry; and global branding strategies and international trademark protection.

The summit has attracted widespread attention within relevant communities, and was participated by 230-plus delegates from government departments, judiciaries, academic and research institutes, industry associations, and enterprises of China and the UK, as well as representatives from other countries and regions including Singapore, the EU, the US, and Canada.