The 2018 High-Level Forum on China IP Protection, one of the highlights of the National IP Publicity Week, took place on 20 April 2018 in Beijing. This forum, in its second edition and co-hosted by China Intellectual Property News (CIPN) and World Intellectual Property Organization in China (WOC), carried a theme of "Strengthen Protection of Intellectual Property, Foster Harmonious Business Environment".

 

Mr. Shen Changyu, commissioner of the State Intellectual Property Office (SIPO); Ms. Wang Binying, deputy director general of WIPO; Mr. Lu Pengqi, vice chairman of China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT); and Mr. Yann Ménière, chief economist at European Patent Office (EPO) were among the guests who delivered keynote speeches. The forum was moderated by Mr. Liao Tao, vice commissioner of SIPO.

 

SIPO commissioner Shen Changyu in his speech referred to Chinese President Xi Jinping's remark at Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2018 that "strengthening IP rights protection" was one of the four major measures in further opening as a reiteration of China's strong determination in bolstering IP protection.

 

 

And CCPIT vice chairman Lu Pengqi put forward during his speech the initiative of developing a mechanism for protecting IP rights abroad. As noted by Mr. Lu, the building of such a mechanism requires bringing into full play the following factors: i) the role of government leadership, ii) awareness and action of the enterprises themselves, iii) support and resources from industry and trade associations, and iv) availability of legal services.

 

 

The forum featured one main forum and six sub-forums, covering such hot topics of IP as the Internet and IP, "going abroad" of domestic enterprises, IP protection in pharmaceutical industry, artificial intelligence (AI), big data, and anti-unfair competition. About 70 experts and academics from home and abroad representing international organizations, government agencies, embassies, industrial associations, judicial organs, established enterprises, and colleges and universities spoke on topics related to the theme of strengthening IP rights protection, sharing their views with the 1,200-plus attendees of the forum.