The government is expected to widen its focus on intellectual
property rights (IPR) from protection-only to creation, utilization
and protection of innovation, with the release of its long-awaited
strategy.
"Although China started late in terms of intellectual property
protection, we have been very determined and consistent in this
regard," said Chen Zhili, a State councilor.
Chen revealed at an international forum on IPR and innovation
yesterday in Beijing that China might publicize its national IPR
strategy in the middle of the year.
The government has vowed to build an innovation-driven country.
Last year, it announced national guidelines for scientific and
technological innovation for the next five to 10 years.
The national strategy on IPR, which aims to safeguard the
transition to an innovative nation, has been in the pipeline since
January 2005 and has involved 28 agencies within the central
government.
Tian Lipu, commissioner of the State Intellectual Property
Office (SIPO), said yesterday on the sidelines of the forum that a
fundamental guideline of the strategy was that China's IPR work
should expand from protection-only to innovation creation, use and
protection.
"The property law, which was passed this month, got a lot of
attention from the public. The intellectual property rights
strategy deserves at least the same attention," Tian said.
He declined to reveal the details of the strategy, but said one
of its primary goals was to foster the creation of intellectual
property rights.
A week ago, the SIPO selected 70 leading companies and research
institutions with good records and potential in IPR creation as
pilots.
These will receive strong support in from the national IPR
strategy, through such things as patent and trademark applications
and personnel training.
Niu Wenyuan, chief scientist on sustainable development with the
Chinese Academy of Sciences, said: "IPR is the No 1 strategic
reserve in the 21st century and its significance is not inferior to
any other strategic reserve, be it food or energy."
He also suggested that the country should have a national
procurement system to buy those innovations, which are critical to
the nation, but do not have any immediate commercial returns, as
well as build an efficient IPR transfer network.
Fang Xingdong, a technology analyst and author of the bestseller
book Challenging the Monopoly of Microsoft, said protection of IPR
is important for China, but the protection should be
reasonable.
(China Daily March 28, 2007)