IP scene

China Daily | Updated: 2015-04-01 08:58

Tianjin

40 companies awarded funds

The Science and Technology Commission at the city's Binhai New Area announced on March 28 that 40 local companies received a total of 840 million yuan ($135.3 million) in loans using patents as collateral since last year. The companies mainly engage in biomedicines, energy conservation, environmental protection and electronic information. The new area put in place a series of policies and projects to improve IP financing channels last year, and now has five financial institutions to serve local high-tech companies.

News.xinhuanet.com

Shandong

Biennual patent award launched

The provincial government announced last week the launch of a patent award for inventors and designers. The biennial award will be given to up to 100 prizewinners, with a top prize of 500,000 yuan ($80,461). Candidates can be recommended by provincial-or city-level intellectual property offices, industry associations, leading research institutions, universities or companies.

Science And Technology Daily

Zhejiang

Bureau inks agreement with market

The Jinhua Science and Technology Bureau signed an authorization agreement with the Yiwu Market Supervision Administration on March 26, granting the Yiwu administration the power to enforce patent administration in the city. The administration can now investigate and penalize patent-related illegal practices in local markets. This is the first time the Yiwu administration has been given such rights. To date, 466 patents have been granted in Yiwu, up 20.7 percent from the same period last year.

Jhnews.com.cn

Hunan

IP office opens online account

The intellectual property office in the provincial capital of Changsha will open an official account on social media platform WeChat this year that provides news updates and allows users to handle business, safeguard IP rights and file complaints. Online businesses may include applications for patent subsidies and copyright registration. The budget of the project will be limited to less than 150,000 yuan ($24,165), according to the office's announcement.

Morning Herald

Shanghai

Court hears first lawsuit

The Shanghai Intellectual Property Court began hearing its first case on March 27. In the suit, Hewlett-Packard Development Co claimed that Speed Infotech, a local printer component maker, had used its patent on an inkjet without authorization. The plaintiff said the patent was granted in 2005 and is still valid. It asked for compensation of 1 million yuan ($160,994). The court has received some 300 cases since it started operation on Jan 1.

Chinanews.com

Fujian

Copyright exchange center to begin

The first cross-Straits movie and TV copyright exchange center on the Chinese mainland will complete construction in Xiamen and start to attract projects in May. With investment of 960 million yuan ($154.6 million), the center consists of four buildings including one with 24 floors. They cover a total floor space of 130,000 square meters. More than 100 movies and TV dramas are shot in Xiamen every year. Besides copyright exchanges, the center will be used for screenplay writing, editing and production services.

winshang.com

Guangxi

Government rewards innovation

The government of the autonomous region has allocated 20 million yuan ($3.2 million) to support and reward patents this year. Part of the fund will be used to subsidize patent applications, examinations and agent fees. Each international patent application will receive 5,000 yuan and other amounts will be awarded - 2,000 yuan for granted invention patents, 10,000 yuan for international patents and 30,000 yuan for China Patent Gold Award winners.

Guangxi Daily