Recommendations

Editor's note: During the meetings of the National People's Congress and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference National Committee, the annual gathering of China's top legislators and political advisers, many delegates made comments and suggestions on the country's innovation and intellectual property issues.

"IP protection attracts increasing attention in China but still faces many challenges. It is the responsibility of not only the government agencies, but also the judiciary, to create a favorable environment for high-tech companies and research and development personnel. Judicial protection is the main part of IP protection and administrative protection is its complement."

Zhou Guohui, NPC deputy and head of the intellectual property office of Zhejiang province

"The national IP strategy has made remarkable progress, but the current administration system is still using a model from the 1980s, with multiple government agencies in charge of copyrights, trademarks and patent affairs. Such separate administrations will do no good for international exchanges or the establishment of a quick-response mechanism. A unified IP management body should be built to improve efficiency."

Zhao Wen, CPPCC member and deputy mayor of Shanghai

"The government should support innovation not just by cutting taxes and giving financial support, but also by creating an innovation-friendly environment. It must fight harder against counterfeit goods and any other behavior that cheats consumers. There can be no high-quality products without technical innovation, but patent infringements happen frequently because the current penalties are far from enough."

Dong Mingzhu, NPC deputy and president of Gree Electric Appliances Inc

"With the popularity of the mobile Internet, online shopping will maintain fast growth in the long term. At the same time, fake products in online shops have not been effectively controlled. Online shopping portals must take the responsibility of getting rid of counterfeits by taking a series of measures throughout the business chain, from examination beforehand to after-sales services."

Zhang Jindong, CPPCC member and chairman of Suning Holdings Group Ltd

"Innovation is at the heart of the national strategy. It must be based on the development of core technologies and target industrialization. The government builds platforms and companies are the main innovators. The taxation policy, investment, human resources and market-oriented assessment systems should be improved to serve innovation. The people's awareness of intellectual property rights also needs to be stronger."

Liu Wei, NPC deputy and chairman of Guangzhou PCI Group

"One of the reasons for a lack of motivation for creativity in China is rampant piracy. Designers will not be inspired to be innovative if others can easily copy their work, so they do not receive fair rewards. This deep-rooted illness can be cured only by strict enforcement and punishments severe enough to make violators lose all incentives and those whose rights are violated receive adequate compensation to cover their loss."

Song Beishan, CPPCC member and vice-chairman of the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce

(China Daily 03/09/2016 page17)