China to boost IP protection
The Chinese government has vowed to boost IP protection as part of its efforts to invigorate the country's economy.
According to the China IPR government blog, more effort should be made to boost IP protection and encourage innovation, and the authorities should crack down on violations.
The news was issued in a statement after an executive meeting of the State Council of the People's Republic of China and its Premier Li Keqiang.
Included in the proposals are the encouragement of innovation through patent and trademark filing and a mechanism to evaluate IP in the country’s science and technology planning.
Last month, WIPR reported that the country’s IP office, the State Intellectual Property Office (SIPO), would be helping small businesses by prioritising their patent applications and increasing financial aid to them.
Li’s statement echoed those sentiments and said maintenance costs for medium and small enterprises should be lowered.
“IPR protection is key for a country's development and competition and China will work to forge a better legal, market and cultural environment for IPR protection,” the statement said.
China has made several efforts in recent months to improve its reputation for IP rights.
Last week, WIPR reported that the country plans to open a specialised IP court by the end of the year.
