On 1 March 2011, Mr. Li Yong, General Manager of China Patent Agent (H.K.) Ltd., attended the forum celebrating the 10th anniversary of China's entry into WTO in Beijing, an event hosted by China Chamber of International Commerce ("CCOIC") and China Council for the Promotion of International Trade ("CCPIT"). The forum attracted more than 300 participants from industrial and commercial sectors at home and abroad.

 

A keynote speech was delivered by Mr. Hua Jianmin, Vice Chairman of Standing Committee of the National People's Congress and a number of talks sharing the post accession experiences and exploring arisen issues are given by distinguished guests from relevant government organs and academic institutions.

 

In his capacity as Vice Chairman of CCIC and General Manager of China Patent Agent (H.K.) Ltd., Mr. Li Yong made a speech on IP development in China subsequent to WTO membership.

 

As noted by Mr. Li Yong, the implementation of WTO commitments had contributed significantly to China's rapid integration into the global economy, with successive legal reforms for IP protection, dramatic rise in PCT filing by domestic enterprises that places China the top fourth in terms of application volume, and institution of the concept of fair treatment and protection to right-holders of different nationalities.

 

Mr. Li Yong also pointed to some challenges encountered by the Chinese enterprises in "going abroad", most notably disputes emerged from the counteraction of foreign right-holders, such as the ITC Section 337 litigation in the US, against perceived threat from incoming Chinese products.  

 

To cope with these issues, Mr. Li Yong suggested that the government should maintain communication and dialogue with foreign counterparts while domestic enterprises should equip themselves with reinforced inventory of IP rights, which is a better tactic than subjecting themselves unprepared to potential expensive lawsuit. And equally important is the development of corporate IP strategies, an area that has yet to be fully explored by both the governments and the enterprises in China.

 

 

 

China Patent Agent (H.K.) Ltd. General Manager Mr. Li Yong at the forum