To paraphrase the Bard: “A rose by any other name smells just as sweet”. Can the same comparison be said for China’s State Intellectual Property Office (SIPO)?
Arguably the world’s most prolific patent office, serving one-sixth of humanity, and protecting innovation in the world’s second largest economy China’s SIPO processed millions of Patent applications each month. Trademarks of course had been handled separately by China’s Trademark Office, and Copyrights handled by yet another separate government body.
All of this is set to change as the government has now made the decision that an integrated intellectual property agency is necessary. Now SIPO, the TO and other intellectual property bodies are to be merged into a new organization which will be responsible for management of patents, designs, trademarks, geographical indications and the layout designs of integrated circuits.
These changes are thought to greatly improve the management efficiency of intellectual property for China and the world.
According to with the restructuring plan approved by the 13th National People’s Congress, the State Intellectual Property Office of China (SIPO) has been duly renamed China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) as of August 29, 2018. CNIPA will not subordinate to the State Council but will be under the supervision of the newly established State Administration of Market Supervision and Administration.
As a State-media Commentator and observer who has legal and IP training and experience, no doubt the past two years have witnessed great progress in China’s intellectual property area with the pilot reform in the comprehensive management of intellectual property and now the restructuring of the State Intellectual Property Office.
President Xi Jinping reinforce d the principle China will unswervingly strengthened the protection of intellectual property rights by establishing a sound environment for business and innovation to protect IP rights of all enterprises.