2018 High-level Conference on Intellectual Property for Countries along the Belt and Road, jointly organized by China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA), National Copyright Administration of the People`s Republic of China (NCAC), Ministry of Commerce, People`s Government of Beijing Municipality and World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), will be held in Beijing from August 28 to 29, 2018. Representatives of IP institutions, international and regional organizations and embassies in China from around 60 countries along the Belt and Road will gather together to discuss new development of IP cooperation along the Belt and Road.

In the CNIPA news briefing of 2018 High-level Conference on Intellectual Property for Countries along the Belt and Road held on August 17, CNIPA Deputy Commissioner He Zhimin introduced that the high-level conference aims to exchange views on the new situation of international IP development at present, discuss IP problems confronting countries along the Belt and Road, and explore the vision of cooperation in the future.

It has been said that the 2018 High-level Conference on Intellectual Property for Countries along the Belt and Road will arrange various topics including “effectively using IP to promote industry transformation and upgrading and to promote economic development of countries along the Belt and Road”, “developing global IP system and common strategy, meeting new challenges confronting global IP system in the digital era – law, best practice and cooperation”, “strengthening commercialization and utilization of IP as key intangible assets, stimulating innovation”, “strengthening IP protection, exploring IP protection mode suitable for conditions of countries along the Belt and Road, and building good innovation and business environment”, “effectively protecting traditional knowledge, heredity resources and folk literature and art – legal system and best practice of various countries”, and “continuously promoting IP multilateral cooperation, supporting innovation and creation”. More than 300 representatives from countries along the Belt and Road, foreign enterprises and academic circles, member units of the State Council Inter-Ministerial Joint Meeting for Implementing the Intellectual Property Right Strategy, and Chinese IP system, enterprises, IP agencies and academic circles, will exchange views on above topics.

As a significant component of the Belt and Road construction, international cooperation on IP along the Belt and Road has been continuously deepened in recent years. In July 2016, the High-level Conference on Intellectual Property for Countries along the Belt and Road was successfully held in Beijing, on which the Joint Initiative on Strengthening IP Cooperation among Countries along the Belt and Road was passed and Measures of Chinese Organizers of the High-level Conference on Intellectual Property for Countries along the Belt and Road to Strength IP Cooperation along the Belt and Road was released, receiving consistent response and favorable comments from participating representatives of various countries, and opening the new chapter of regional IP cooperation. He Zhimin remarked that on the basis of 2016 High-level Conference on Intellectual Property for Countries along the Belt and Road, the 2018 conference would promote IP cooperation among countries along the Belt and Road to reach more fruitful achievements. (Translated from CNIPA Website Chinese Version)