China's commitment to strengthening IP judicial protection and creating a bright future for IP rights

• Author: Justice Tao Kaiyuan
• Position: Vice President of the Supreme People's Court of the People's Republic of China
• Pages: 20-24

20 June 2019

China’s commitment to

strengthening IP judicial

protection and creating a

bright future for IP rights

By Justice Tao Kaiy uan, Vice President of

the Supreme People’s Court of the People’s

Republic of China

As an institutional arrangement and incentive mecha-

nism, the intellectual proper ty (IP) system provides a

fundamental driving force for innovation and creativity.

Strengthening IP protection is necessary for China

to honor international rules and fulll its international

commitments. It is also indispensable for pursuing

an innovation-driven development strategy, creating a

business-friendly environment and building a new open

economic system.

Over the past 40 years, China has established, and

continued to improve, a modern IP system with Chi nese

characteristics. It has made remarkable progress and

secured historic achievements in various areas, including

legislation, enforcement, and international exchanges

and cooperation. Today, strengthening the protection

of IP rights is widely recognized in China as the most

important element for improving rights protection and

a fundamental incentive for enhancing the country’s

economic competitiveness.

STRENGTHENING “TOP-LEVEL DESIGN” OF IP

JUDICIAL PROTECTION

In line with national conditions, China ha s established an

IP system where judicial and administrative protection

play their respective roles, with the former central to IP

protection. Continued strengthening of the “top-level

Justice Tao Kai yuan was a key note speaker

at the inaug ural session of th e Intellectua l

Property Jud ges Forum at WI PO’s Geneva

headquart ers in November 2018.

Photo: WIPO / © Emmanu el Berrod