Focus on the NPC &CPPCC：IP recommendations

During the ongoing meetings of the National People's Congress and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference National Committee, the annual gathering of China's top decision-makers and political advisers, many delegates made comments and suggestions about intellectual property issues.

"The seed industry is a basic industry for a nation and the foundation for food security, but China's seed market order has been damaged by rampant fakes in recent years, because the punishment for seed fraud is too light. Since seed breed is a category of intellectual property, the Criminal Law should consider seed violation a crime, like other severe IP infringements."

Li Denghai, NPC deputy and director of the National Corn Engineering Technology Research Center

"Many of the Chinese companies doing business in Central Asia are not paying enough attention to IP currently, and have suffered losses because they do not have patents or trademarks in the market. Part of the reason is that Chinese companies are not familiar with local law systems. As the starting point of the Silk Road Economic Belt, Shaanxi should fund a series of IP research institutions targeting Central Asian markets, and establish long-term cooperation with IP organizations along the belt."

Ju Shuanke, CPPCC member and director of the Shaanxi Intellectual Property Office

"Every year, Chinese TV and radio stations use a large quantity of written work, but the writers often earn little or even no payment. The copyright authority should make a nationally unified payment standard. Also, the current Copyright Law needs revision as some regulations in it have failed to follow the trends of the fast economic and cultural development."

Zhang Kangkang, CPPCC member and vice-president of the Chinese Writers' Association

"The IP court in Shanghai set up at the end of last year was necessary, as the judicial protection of IP rights has attracted increasing attention both domestically and internationally. The court is also a pilot in China's judicial reform. More international exchanges are advised to showcase China's latest achievement in IP judicial protection. We also have to develop a team of IP judges with global views to enhance China's voice in the world of IP protection."

Zhao Wen, CPPCC member and deputy mayor of Shanghai

"Intellectual property pledge loans are a new financing method for small and medium-sized companies, and are supported by local governments. But because of intellectual properties' invisible, regional and timely features, there are some challenges in IP financing, such as IP evaluation and risk control. There should be nationally unified evaluation systems and instructions for patents, trademarks and copyright respectively, and the government should launch guarantee funds, so that banks will no longer be afraid of offering such services to companies."

Zhong Chunyan, NPC deputy andgeneral manager of Hainan Yeguo Foods Co Ltd

"The passion of scientists failed to be connected to the market because, according to current laws, their service inventions are not seen as personal property. Many inventors earn salaries without incentive mechanisms. But this year's government work report suggested that the government would reconsider the profit-sharing system, which is a good sign. Will the government suffer losses if individuals become patent owners? No, it won't, because this will only encourage inventors to industrialize their inventions and make contributions to the country by creating more jobs and, in turn, taxes."

Chen Kaixian, CPPCC member and academician at the Chinese Academy of Sciences