State Intellectual Property Office of the People's Republic of China

(This publication is released in both Chinese and English, and the Chinese version shall prevail in the event of discrepancy between the two said versions.)

contents

I．IPR Legislation Advances and Construction of Policy and Framework Refines3
II．IPR Examination and Registration Advance Steadily with Various Missions Accomplished7
III．IPR Enforcement Makes Breakthrough.  Protection Environment Refines12
IV．Leading Role of Judicial Protection is Further Enhanced.  Interests of Right Holders and Public are Effectively Upheld15
V．Publicity of IPR advances.  Cultural construction scores first points18
VI．Outstanding Achievement is Made in Olympic IPR Protection.  Special Enforcement Campaigns Reap Effective Results24
VII．IPR Training Enhances with Constant Growth of Talents26
VIII．International Cooperation Intensifies with New Stages for Both Bilateral and Multilateral Cooperation29

China's Intellectual Property Protection in 2008

The year 2008 was the 30th anniversary of China's reform and open-up and the  inaugural year for the implementation of the national IP strategy.  The year carried great weight for the IPR system in China.  

Leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC) attaches great importance to IPR Protection. During the Ninth Collective Study of the 17th CPC Politburo, General Secretary Hu Jintao stressed specifically the importance of  sticking to innovation with Chinese characteristics, energetically implementing the strategy of making the country prosperous with science and technology, the strategy of capitalizing on talent to make the country strong, IP strategy, and accelerating the construction of innovative country. When addressing the Party's meeting mobilizing the study and practice of scientific outlook on development, Premier Wen Jiabao said, "One thing necessary to stress is to concretely strengthen IPR protection.  In the new era, competition of world science and technology as well as economy is mainly competition of IPRs.  Underscoring IP protection is underscoring and inspiring innovation."Vice Premier Wang Qishan attended the Fourth Sino-US Strategic Economic Dialogue, he presided over  the closing ceremony together with US Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson and summarized the fruits of the dialogue. Vice Premier Wang Qishan published an article in his own name entitled China no longer tolerates piracy, infringement  on the Chinese version of the Wall Street Journal, briefing on the achievements China made in recent years on IPR protection and also elaborating Chinese government's endeavor to intensify IPR protection from four aspects.  

The year 2008 was a crucial year for the development of the Chinese IPR system.  The national IPR strategy entered the stage of implementation from that of  formulation. The Chinese IPR system moved into the new phase of scientific development. 

 IPR protection fared in depth.  Work of many aspects scored well.  The year saw  828,328 patent applications and 698,000 applications for trademark registration.  Notable achievements were made in copyright protection.  Protection of new varieties of plants went on steadily.  Customs, police and cultural authorities combated IPR violations effectively.  IPR judicial protection was getting on more proficiently. IPR publicity and training were increasingly strengthened . IPR international cooperation expanded.  The entire IPR system displayed strong trend that represented coordinated and sustainable development.