China focuses on geographical indication protection

As a significant part of intellectual property, geographical indications (GIs) have drawn more attention from the Chinese government and enterprises. China approved 2,391 GI products by the end of 2020, and granted more than 9,400 enterprises permission to use the protected

products of the national geographical trademark, said Zhang Zhicheng, head of the protection department of the National Intellectual Property Administration at a press conference on Friday. A GI is a sign to show a product has a specific geographical origin and possesses qualities or a reputation due to that origin. It is a quality guarantee, which distinguishes it from its competitors. Benefits of GIs include standardized processes, increased production, and more employment for locals. More than 1,000 new Chinese enterprises got approval to use GI products last year alone, a 195 percent increase over the same period of the previous year. The output value of enterprises using GIs totaled 639.8 billion yuan in 2020, Zhang noted...

China expands IPR aid institutions nationwide

China has extended intellectual property rights (IPR) protection aid nationwide with more than 1,000 institutions, according to the country's IPR authorities. China has been highlighting the role of IPR protection aid in safeguarding the rights of the public and innovators by making

these institutions reach most regions across the country, said the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA). To date, a total of 194 colleges and 386 social organizations have participated in providing assistance on IPR related issues, with support from around 5,100 experts and 5,200 volunteers. In 2020, IPR aid institutions nationwide handled more than 33,000 applications and provided consulting services 43,000 times. Besides these institutions, the CNIPA also facilitates online services on IPR issues to better serve the public.

China establishes fast IPR service centers to boost industry upgrade

China has established or is working to establish 25 service centers to provide fast responses to intellectual property rights (IPR) issues, the country's IPR authorities announced. The China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) recently approved three fast IPR

service  centers in three counties, according to the CNIPA. The fast IPR public service centers aim to provide county-level industry clusters with faster pre-review processes, confirmation and rights protection on IPR-related issues. Some regions are undergoing industrial transformations, upgrading from labor-intensive to knowledge-intensive industries. Faster and more efficient local IPR services will empower these regions to provide better IPR-related services, such as a fast IPR review process for the physical designs of quick-selling products. By 2023, China will have established a coordinated fast IPR protection system based on diversified service centers at all levels, according to a plan released by the CNIPA last year.

China’s SPC urges improving judical services for Hainan free trade port development

China's Supreme People's Court (SPC) has issued a guideline urging courts to improve judicial services to help speed up the development of the Hainan free trade port. The guideline, posted online, makes institutional arrangements for improving the free trade port's judicial organizational

system, optimizing the case jurisdiction system, and improving the system for foreign-related civil and commercial case trial and the alternative dispute resolution mechanism for commercial cases. It demands stepping up the construction of the intellectual property court of the Hainan free trade port and the foreign-related civil and commercial tribunal of Hainan. The guideline also calls for strengthening the construction of tourism tribunals, innovating the trial mode and establishing a centralized and express trial mechanism for foreign-related tourism disputes.