Xing Huina:

Thank you, Mr. Shen, for your introduction. Now it is time for questions. Please indicate the media organization you work for before raising a question.

China Media Group:

As Mr. Shen mentioned, General Secretary Xi Jinping delivered an important speech on strengthening China's IPR protection while presiding over the 25th group study session of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee on Nov. 30, 2020. What measures have been taken to implement the guiding principles of the speech? What progress has been made? Thank you.

Shen Changyu:

Thank you for the questions. As you said, the Political Bureau of the 19th CPC Central Committee held a group study session on strengthening China's IPR protection on Nov. 30 last year. General Secretary Xi Jinping presided over the session and delivered an important speech. He said that IPR protection relates to the modernization of China's governance system and capacity, high-quality development, people's happiness, the overall situation of the country's opening up to the outside world, and national security. He outlined how China is changing from a big country that introduces IPR to one that creates IPR, shifting from a country that pursues IPR quantity to one that seeks quality. He made strategic arrangements for comprehensively strengthening IPR protection in six aspects. His speech elicited a positive public response. Over the past half-year, the Leading Party Members Group of the NIPA and all the officials and staff in the field of IPR have been earnestly studying and putting into practice the guiding principles of the important speech. Remarkable progress has been achieved thanks to several measures that we took.

First, we set out to convey and study the gist of the speech. After General Secretary Xi Jinping delivered his speech, the Leading Party Members Group of the NIPA convened two themed sessions to convey and study the gist of the speech and issued a circular on studying and implementing the guiding principles of the speech to all institutions in the field of IPR. We held a meeting for leaders of IP offices nationwide and an expanded meeting for the leading Party members groups of IP offices nationwide before planning for implementation of its guidelines. We formulated and issued opinions on implementation and introduced 134 concrete measures. For each measure, we established an account to record the progress and ensure their correct implementation.

Second, we publicized and interpreted the speech. We coordinated mainstream media outlets to publish a series of articles and launch special coverage. We set up a dedicated column on the China Intellectual Property News and organized officials and staff of the NIPA to attend rotation training to foster a strong atmosphere of studying and practicing the guiding principles of the speech.

Third, implementation. So far, important progress has been made in many regards. For example, regarding the enhancement of top-level design of IPR protection, we have basically finished the drafting of the Outline of the National Intellectual Property Strategy and a national plan for IPR protection and application in the 14th Five-Year Plan period. Regarding the improvement in the law-based IPR protection, we have actively made preparations for the revised Patent Law to be put into practice on June 1. We have pushed forward a new round of research and revision on the Trademark Law as well as investigations into the legalization of the Geographical Indication Law. In promoting whole-chain IPR protection, we have implemented the Guidelines on Enhancing IPR protection and advanced high-standard plans. We have assessed the work of local governments and Party committees according to the arrangements of the central government to promote protection work. In deepening the reform of the systems and mechanisms in IPR protection, we have studied and proposed a series of new reform measures to streamline administration and delegate power, improve regulation, and upgrade services on IPR. In pushing forward international cooperation and competition in the field of IPR, we have also practiced items relating to IPR in the first phase of the China-U.S. trade deal, promoted enforcement of the China-EU Agreement on Geographical Indications, and completed protection notices for the first batch of productions. We have also participated in and completed negotiations relating to IPR in the RCEP agreements. In safeguarding national security in the field of IPR, we have examined the transfer of IPR in accordance with the law and boosted the creation and protection of IPR in key core technologies. 

For the next stage, the NIPA will further implement the guiding principles from General Secretary Xi Jinping's important speeches and promote and do our work well to celebrate the centenary of the founding of the CPC through extraordinary performance. Thank you.