Shanghai boosts IP efforts

Shanghai will improve its intellectual property work with a series of efforts to build itself into an IP hub for the Asia-Pacific region, said the top official of the municipality's IP administration.

According to the work plan for 2015, the city will deepen IP reform in the Pudong New Area and Shanghai Free Trade Zone by building an integrated system of IP management and law enforcement for patents, trademarks and copyrights.

They will develop a diversified solution mechanism for IP disputes, including judicial protection, administrative supervision, arbitration and third-party mediation.

The Shanghai Intellectual Property Court was established last year, following courts in Beijing and Guangzhou. It was regarded as an important signal that the protection work of IP rights in the country has entered a new phase.

Shanghai also plans to promote the development of the IP service sector through a series of policies and measures. These will include the introduction of new IP financial services, especially on IP-backed loans and IP insurance, building the new Shanghai IP Exchange Center and establishing the National Tech-transfer (East) Center.