14th CIPAC: Global Voices Echo

Source:China IP News

The 14th China Intellectual Property Annual Conference (CIPAC) recently concluded in Beijing. Over the course of two days, more than 8,000 global participants from government, academia, and industry engaged in lively discussions under the theme "IP in the Digital Age," and fostered a shared vision for future development. What IP issues drew the attention of international guests? How does the global community view the opportunities and challenges that the digital age brings to the IP sector? The Bilingual Weekly features insights from six international participants, who shared their perspectives and international experiences on hot topics such as innovation-driven ecosystem building, technology transfer, as well as global cooperation and connectivity.

Keyword 1: Innovation-Driven ecosystem building

"Continuous innovation and IP collaboration help foster global technological connectivity"

Andrew Inesi

Continuous innovation is the core driving force behind the development of Dolby Laboratories. By licensing and integrating innovations into partners' products, our company has built a business model based on mutually beneficial cooperation and joint value creation. Another form of collaborative licensing emerges in the context of standardized technologies jointly owned by plural companies. In such cases, Dolby Laboratories has established patent pools that bring together Standard Essential Patents (SEPs) and has made these patents available through a one-stop service, thereby improving efficiency and reducing costs. The effective combination of innovation and regulation, supported by robust IP protection mechanisms, gives companies the confidence to share their innovations through licensing while reinvesting more revenues into research and development (R&D). This approach not only stimulates further innovation but also enhances global technological connectivity, generating sustained momentum for economic growth.

(Vice President & Global Head of Policy and Business Affairs, Dolby Laboratories)

"China's Patent Law is increasingly recognizing the value of innovation"

Chris Longman

This year marks the 40th anniversary of Qualcomm's founding, and the 30th year of our collaboration with China's mobile communications industry. Qualcomm has consistently prioritized R&D by investing 20% of our annual revenue into this sector, totaling over USD 100 billion to date, while relying on the global IP system to safeguard our innovations. Strong IP protection forms the foundation for the development of technological standards. Without the certainty of returns from licensing high-quality SEPs, the commercial rationale for initial R&D investments would collapse. China's Patent Law is increasingly recognizing the value of innovation, and Qualcomm, along with many other global companies, has benefited from China's strengthened IP protection framework.

(Vice President & Legal Counsel, Qualcomm)

Keyword 2: Technology transfer

"The role of a company's patent department goes far beyond filing patents"

Yoon Seung-hyun

IP work within companies is no longer limited to securing rights; it should also focus on IP commercialization. Take hydrogen-powered vehicles as an example: IP related to hydrogen technology is not merely a technical asset but a strategic one for Hyundai Motor Company, playing a critical role in coordination, empowerment, protection, and collaboration. By analyzing emerging IP trends and exploring promising technologies, companies can formulate strategies that transform IP into competitive advantages. In this sense, the role of a company's patent department goes far beyond filing patents — it is fundamentally about fully committing to turning IP into market opportunities.

(Vice President, Hyundai Motor Company)

"Integrating IP with cross-sector collaboration facilitates innovation commercialization"

Derek Sear

The West Midlands Health Tech Innovation Accelerator project at the University of Birmingham brings together partners from diverse fields through an integrated support program, tailored assistance channels, and the creation of a collaborative innovation ecosystem. By leveraging the extensive expertise of partners, the project provides practical health technology solutions to innovators and offers corresponding IP support, thereby advancing healthcare. Integrating IP resources with cross-sector collaboration helps innovators build cooperative networks, enabling more medical innovations from the United Kingdom to be transformed into practical products and introduced to global markets. These efforts have already achieved notable results, and we look forward to creating even more collaborative opportunities in the future.

(Lead of Engagement and Partnerships, West Midlands Health Tech Innovation Accelerator, University of Birmingham)

Keyword 3: Global cooperation and connectivity

"The Madrid System helps more Chinese companies go global"

Benoît Apercé

The Madrid System provides an economical and efficient solution for IP protection. Currently, it supports English, French, and Spanish, and allows trademark protection in 130 countries and regions, helping companies register trademarks across different jurisdictions. In today's digital age, the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) continues to upgrade the Madrid System, introducing the online service platform eMadrid to make access easier for users. Chinese companies have become important users of the system, effectively leveraging it to mitigate risks and expand their international influence. WIPO is also actively training relevant professionals and plans to extend services to more emerging markets in the future, covering an even wider range of countries and regions.

(Communications and Information Manager, Madrid Information and Promotion Division, WIPO)

"The EU-China agreement on GIs is a model of bilateral collaboration"

Wojciech Ptak

Geographical indications (GIs), closely tied to their place of origin, not only ensure product quality and help prevent imitation or misuse, but also serve as commercial tools that drive agricultural development and rural revitalization. The agreement between the European Union (EU) and China on protection and cooperation of GIs is a model of bilateral collaboration. The agreement provides high-level protection for GI products from both sides while preventing GIs from being misused or becoming generic terms. Currently, many countries are actively developing GI protection systems suited to their national circumstances. Among them, China is working on legislation specifically dedicated to GI protection with promising prospects. Moreover, to further promote and safeguard GI products globally, it is essential to remove trade barriers and adopt more proactive measures, particularly in the area of tariffs.

(Agricultural Counsellor, Delegation of the European Union to China)