On November 8, Zhang Mao Minister of SAIC met with visiting Director General Francis Gurry. Zhang Mao expressed SAIC would like to work together with WIPO to consolidate current cooperation fruit, to extensively enlarge cooperation space and to mutually promote the development of trademark intellectual property.
Liu Junchen, Vice Minister of SAIC, Wang Binying, Deputy Director General of WIPO joined the meeting.
Zhang Mao provided a warm welcome to Francis’ visit. He said the deep cooperation and close communication between SAIC and WIPO had remarkable fruit, and Francis was SAIC’s old friend.
Zhang Mao introduced China’s current trademark situation and pointed out with China’s economic and social development, governments and enterprises enhanced their awareness in intellectual property protections and trademark applications increased year by year. There was world top trademark volume by the end of October 2013, 12.875 million trademark applications, 8.477 million registrations and 7.08 million valid registrations. Annual trademark application volume increased from 26 000 in 1980 to 1.648 million in 2012, a 62 times increase well promoted the innovative country’s development.
During the meeting, Francis expressed his concern on the implementation of new Trademark Law. Zhang Mao introduced the newly adopted law had clearly regulated trademark examination and review time limit which facilitated applicants to enjoy more convenience, and made new rules in trademark competitions to well protect the fair and competitive market order. He said the new law would comprehensively enhance China’s trademark registration, utilization, protection and administration level.
Zhang Mao said that WIPO had provided constant support and help to China’s trademark work. He was glad to see WIPO’s decision in setting an external office in China and wished the office open at an early date. He expressed that SAIC had taken various measures to promote Madrid system and to enlighten enterprises’ awareness and enthusiasm in trademark international registration. He said SAIC would continue to deepen cooperation with WIPO in trademark database, human resources and Madrid system promotion.
Francis thanked Zhang Mao for the meeting and highly commended SAIC’s work in promoting China’s trademark development. He said WIPO highly appreciated the cooperation with SAIC because China was always the most favorite designated country and China’s Madrid international applications increased yearly. The new Trademark Law came to the forefront of trademark legislation and provided more convenience and protection to applicants. The set of WIPO’s external office in China was a milestone of mutual cooperation and would increase the promotion of Madrid system in China. Since more and more china’s enterprises has invested the international market, WIPO would continue to enhance mutual cooperation and firmly support Madrid system’s development in China and mutually promote trademark intellectual property work moving forward.
Both sides have also exchanged ideas on other issues of common concern in the meeting.
