Experts laud China's deepening engagement, growing role in global IP governance

China

Experts laud China's deepening engagement, growing role in global IP governance

2024-10-21 12:14 Last Updated At：17:07

China is deeply involved in global intellectual property (IP) governance and playing a growing role in balanced protection and innovative development of global IP rights, according to intellectual property and patent lawyers participating in the 2024 International Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property (AIPPI) World Congress.

Themed "balanced protection and innovative development of IP rights", the 2024 AIPPI World Congress is taking place from Saturday to Tuesday in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province. This marks China's first hosting of the event, drawing participants from 92 countries and regions.

"There's a huge amount of patent applications in China, very innovative, very tech driven, tech focused, huge market internationally. So, it's already big and is going to get bigger on the international scene," said Hugh Reeves, a Swiss IP lawyer.

Participants believe that an increasing number of countries are emphasizing innovation and IP to propel development and create opportunities. They also noted that China attaches great importance to IP protection and plays a pivotal role with its ideas and solutions in balanced protection of global IP rights.

"I think it's very significant, China is a huge source of intellectual property. Lots of inventions, lots of patents, lots of brands are coming out of China now. In the UK, we have all these companies that are coming from China," said Oliver Pooley, a British patent lawyer.

"China has signed different agreements, worldwide agreements and international treaties in order to protect IP rights, not only the domestic IP rights, but also the foreigners' IP rights. They have strengthened the law, regarding infringement in patents and in trademarks too. The legal environment in China is very updated now," said Juan Carlos Cuesta, a Colombian patent lawyer.

Co-organized by the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade and the AIPPI, the event will center on deliberating draft resolutions on various IP topics. These resolutions, after extensive discussion and voting, will emerge as the key outcomes of the event, propelling the advancement of the global IP governance system.

Hungary announces countermeasures against Ukraine amid pipeline dispute

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban on Sunday announced three countermeasures in response to Ukraine's suspension of crude oil deliveries through the Druzhba pipeline.

In a social media post, Orban said Hungary will secure its fuel supply and take necessary countermeasures until shipments resume.

The measures include halting diesel shipments from Hungary to Ukraine, refusing to provide military loans, and withholding support for new EU sanctions against Russia, including the bloc's 20th sanctions package.

Orban stressed that energy security is a matter of fundamental national interest, and any actions that jeopardize Hungary's energy supply will be met with a firm response.

He said that Hungary would maintain its economic and social stability and take further action if necessary.

Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto said in a video statement on social media on Sunday that Hungary will block the adoption of the EU's 20th sanctions package against Russia at Monday's Foreign Affairs Council.

He noted that Ukraine's decision earlier this week not to restart shipments was "political blackmail" aimed at creating fuel supply disruptions and driving up petrol prices ahead of Hungary's parliamentary elections.

Hungary will not allow decisions important to Kiev to move forward until Ukraine restarts crude oil deliveries to Hungary via the Druzhba pipeline, Szijjarto said.

According to the minister, Hungary has addressed the situation by releasing part of its strategic crude reserves and securing replacement supplies via maritime routes.

Szijjarto said Hungary had already halted diesel exports to Ukraine, which he said accounted for around 10 percent of Ukraine's diesel imports and had moved to block a planned 90-billion-euro EU military loan for Kiev.

He reiterated on Friday that Hungary would prevent the loan from being disbursed.

The Druzhba pipeline, which transports Russian oil to Central Europe via Ukraine, has faced repeated disruptions over the past year amid the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

According to Szijjarto, oil supplies to Slovakia and Hungary through the pipeline have been suspended since January 27, and Ukraine has decided not to restart crude oil deliveries although there are currently "no practical or technical obstacles."