1. Special Solicitude from Leaders

    On 2nd April, 2000, Mr. Jiang Zemin, President and General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), Mr. Hu Jintao, Vice President and Member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of CPC, Mr. Li Lanqing, Vice Premier of the State Council and Member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of CPC, visited the "Exhibition on China's 15-Year Achievements in Patent Work" held in the Military Museum of the Chinese People's Revolution. At the exhibition, President Jiang Zemin showed strong interest and affirmed the achievements in patent work over the past 15 years. He pointed out that" we must energetically promote the longterm development of our economy by supporting the development of patent, enhancing the role of the patent system and furthering growth of high-tech products with our own intellectual property rights and market prospect". Hu Jintao and Li Lanqing also highly appraised the achievements shown in the exhibition, and stressed that efforts should be further made for intellectual property and that attention should be given to intensify effective IPR protection. Mr. Wen Jiabao, Vice Premier of State Council, Mr. Wu Jieping, Vice Chairman of the National People's Congress, and Mr. Zhou Guangzhao, Vice Chairman of the National People's Congress and Mr. Ren Jianxin, Vice Chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference visited the exhibition.

      The left picture:  Mr Jiang Zemin, President and General Secretary of the Central Committee of CPC was warmly welcomed at the Exhibition on China's 15-Year Achievements in Patent Work.

      The right picture:  Mr Hu Jintao, Vice President and member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of Centra Committee of CPC visiting the booth of the Patent Search and Consultation Center.

      The left picture:  On April 2, Mr. Wen Jiabao (second from the right in the front line), Vice Premier of the State Council at the Exhibition on China's 15-Year Achievements in Patent Work.

      The right picture:  On April 2, Mr Wu Jieping, Vice Chairman of the National People's Congress at the Exhibition on China's 15 Year Achievements in Patent Work.

      On April 2, Mr.Ren Jianxin, Vice Chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference at the Exhibition on China's 15-Year Achievements in Patent Work

2. Decision Regarding the Revision of the Patent Law of the People's Republic of China was approved by the 17th Session of the Standing Committee of the Ninth National People's Congress

    On 25 August, 2000, the 17th Session of the Standing Committee of the Ninth National People's Congress approved the Decision Regarding the Revision of the Patent Law of the People's Republic of China. This is the second time the patent law had been revised since the first revision in 1992, another milestone in the history of patent system in China. The revision reflected the needs of further reform and open-up policy in China, and it was an important measure taken to carry out the national strategies for developing the country with science and education and for sustained development. It also showed the consistent policies and determination of the Chinese government for protection of the intellectual property including patent.

    The revision involved 36 articles including additions and deletions of 4 articles respectively. It covered the following major issues: patent legislation for promoting the development of science and technology and innovation and creating more favorable conditions for deepening the reform and open-up policy intensifying the protection and improving the judicial and administrative enforcement; streamlining procedures for examination, granting and maintaining the legal rights of the rightholders; furthering the reform and open-up policy for entry to WTO and complying with TRIPS agreement; establishing a diligent, non-corrupted, pragmatic and high efficient workforce for patent examination and granting.

    The newly revised patent law will become effective on 1 July, 2001.

     On August 25, the 17th Session of the Standing Committee of the Ninth Nationa People's Congress approved Decision Regarding the Revision of the Patent Law of the People's Republic of China.

3.Major Events and Important Activities

Domestic Activities:

• On 5th January, the SIPO issued, jointly with the State Commission for Economy and Trade, the Circular on Regulations for the Adminstration of Patent Work in Enterprises (Trial Draft).
• On 6th January, the SIPO issued the Decision Regarding Grant of China Patent Gold Awards and China Excellent Patent Awards, the Notice on Results of the Fifth National Contest on Excellent Patent News, and the Notice on the Results of the Second National Contest on Excellent Patent Research Reports and Excellent Patent Subjects.
• On 12th January, the SIPO issued, jointly with the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation, the General Administration of Customs, the State Administration for Industry and Commerce and the State Adminstration for Exit-Entry Inspection and Quarantine, the Circular on Anti-Counterfeiting UL Certification Marks.
• On 13th January, the SIPO issued, jointly with the Ministry of Human Resources, the Circular on Commending Outstanding Units and Individuals in the Nationwide Patent System.
• From 18-21 January, the SIPO convened in Beijing the national conference on patent work, at which participants studied and discussed the resolutions and decisions of the 4th Plenary Session of the 15th CPC Central Committee and of the National Conference on Technical Innovation. Besides, participants also put forward proposals on practical measures for integrating patent work into all aspects of technical innovation so as to bring the role of patent and IPR system into full play in promoting science and technology progress and economic development.
• On 26th January, the SIPO issued Opinions on Enhancing the Nationwide Publicity of Patent and Opinions on Improving the Nationwide Patent-Related Training Activities.
• On 27th January, a forum on IPR work in group corporations under the supervision of the State Council was co-sponsored by the SIPO and the SINOPEC Group Corporation.
• On 28th January, the SIPO issued Opinions on Reinforcing the Construction of Local Centers under the China Patent Information Project.
• On 1st March, the SIPO worked out Major Tasks in Nationwide Patent Work in Year 2000.
• On 6th March, the SIPO issued the Circular on Launching An Extensive Anti-IPR Counterfeiting Campaign during March 15th Consumer's Day.
• From 1-5 April, the SIPO organized the Exhibition on China's 15-Year Achievements in Patent Work in the Military Museum for Chinese People's Revolution.
• On 6th April, the SIPO convened in the People's Great Hall the Celebration Meeting for Commemorating the 15th Anniversary of Implementation of the Chinese Patent Law, at which Ren Jianxin, Vice-Chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, Li Xue, Deputy Director of the Education, Science, Culture and Health Committee under the National People's Congress, and Li Guoguang??§o?Vice-President of the Supreme People's Court, showed their presence and delivered a speech.
• From 15-17, April, the SIPO organized in cooperation with the Xiamen Municipal Government the Year 2000 China Xiamen Investment Fair on High and New Technologies.
• From May-October, the SIPO organized, jointly with the State Commission for Economy and Trade, training seminars on intellectual property for leaders of state-owned major enterprises, at which approximately 250 such enterprises were present.
• From May-August, the leading officials of the SIPO led teams to 17 provinces and autonomous regions for research on enhancement of IPR protection, challenges and opportunities for China's accession to the WTO, support for the development of the west regions, and revision of the patent law.
• In June, the SIPO set up leading groups for implementing strategies of "Developing the west" and "Walking out" .
• From June-August, the SIPO organized two training seminars for leading personnel of local patent administrative authorities nationwide.
• From 25th - 30th June, the automation project in the Nanjing Receiving Office passed the test, indicating that the receiving of patent applications and handling of patent fees at local receiving offices became more automated and standardized.
• On 26th June, the SIPO worked out and issued the Year 2000 Patent Work Plan for Developing the West.
• On 1st July, the SIPO formulated the Measures on Administration of Soft Science Research Work (Trial Draft).
• On 3rd July, the SIPO issued the Circular Regarding Further Promoting Patent Applications for Inventions, and forwarded the Circular to local Intellectual Property Offices (Patent Administrative Authorities) in various provinces, municipalities directly under the central government and autonomous regions.
• From 15th-28th July, the SIPO sent a group of examiners to Xinjiang Autonomous Region where they conducted on-the-spot examination proceedings, organized training for patent agents, provide consulting service to local enterprises etc..
• On 20th July, the office automation system went into operation.
• In August, the SIPO organized in Xi'an city the Ninth National Fair on New Patented Technologies and Products.
• On 18th August, the SIPO organized in Beijing, in cooperation with the China Academy of Engineering, the Symposium on Patent Protection of Genetic Engineering. Experts such as Yang Huanming made excellent presentations.
• From 22nd-24th August, in order to promote technical innovation and push forward the patent work in patent trial cities, the SIPO convened in Xiamen city the national working conference on the work of patent trial cities.
• On lst September, the News and Press Office of the State Council invited the SIPO for a press conference on the second revision of the Chinese patent law. Over 80 correspondents from about 73 news agencies both at home and abroad were present.
• From 6th-8th September, the SIPO organized in Lanzhou the national conference on patent information and technical innovation.
• On 11 September, the SIPO issued and forwarded to intellectual property offices in provinces and autonomous regions the Circular Regarding Earnestly Studying and Implementing the Decision of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress on Revision of the Patent Law of the People's Republic of China.
• From 26th-28th September, the SIPO organized in Shenyang city, jointly with the Liaoning provincial government, the Year 2000 National Fair on Industrialization of Patented Technologies.
• From 12th-15th October, the SIPO organized in Xining city, in cooperation with Qinghai provincial government, the National Fair on Exhibition of Patented Technologies.
• On 29th October, the qualification examination for patent agents was concluded successfully.
• From 2nd-4th November, the SIPO convened in Shanghai the Conference on Exchange of Experiences in Applying the Patent System to Technical Innovation.
• On 15th December, the SIPO organized, jointly with the Economy Daily, the Symposium on Patents-Industrialization-New Business. Zhu Lilan, Minister of the Ministry of Science and Technology, representatives from provinces and cities, experts, professionals and entrepreneurs attended the symposium.

Foreign-related Activities:

• On 6th January, the SIPO organized, the Sino-Japan Symposium on Management of Intellectual Property in Enterprises jointly with Tsinghua University, Ministry of Trade and Industry of Japan, Japan External Trade Organization, Keio University, Beijing Office of Japan-China Economic Association.
• On 20th January, the SIPO held bilateral discussion on intellectual property protection in Beijing with the USTR Delegation.
• On 2nd June, the Chinese government delegation signed the final text of the Diplomatic Conference for Patent Law Treaty, which was a positive role for the signing of the treaty.
• From 25th -26th July, the SIPO co-organized with EU and the European Patent Office the International Symposium on Intellectual Property Protection in China-Challenges and Opportunities in the 21st Century.
• From 30th-31st August, the SIPO co-organized with China Academy of Engineering and China Bio-Engineering Development Center under the Ministry of Science and Technology in Qingdao city, the Symposium on International Patent Policies for Bio-Technologies.
• From 10th -13th October, the SIPO co-organized in Beijing with the World Intellectual Property Organization the WIPO-Asian Regional Symposium on Intellectual Property Protection of New Technologies.
• On 10th October, at the WIPO-Asian Regional Symposium on Intellectual Property Protection of New Technologies, Dr. Kamil Idris??§o?Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) announced that the 35th Series of Meetings of the Assemblies of the Member States of WIPO adopted the proposal of April 26th each year as World Intellectual Property Day starting from 2001.The proposal was initiated by China and Algeria.

2002-02-27