IP scene

BEIJING

Robot project scoops top innovation prize

A robot project won the second Innovation and Entrepreneurship of Intellectual Property Rights Competition, which concluded last week. More than 300 innovation projects entered the contest, which opened in May, with eight making it through to the final round. The competition's organizers said innovative technologies, business models and financing methods are creating new products and services, which are fundamentally changing people's lifestyles.

SCIENCENET.CN

SHANDONG

Province tops for geographical indications

The China Center for Intellectual Property in Agriculture of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences recently issued a report on China's agriculture-related IP creation. The nation now has 6,457 registered geographical indications, with Shandong province taking 680 of them, accounting for the largest nationwide share. There were 201,273 agriculture-related valid patents, more than 25 percent of which were related to farming, with the food processing business taking a 24.65 percent share.

CHINA SCIENCE DAILY

HONG KONG

New initiative looks to guarantee genuine goods

The Hong Kong Federation of E-Commerce announced last week the launch of the "Hong Kong Trust Mark", a cooperative initiative combining the efforts of both domestic and foreign federations and industry associations. The project aims to promote genuine, quality goods and services from Hong Kong-registered online shops. All Hong Kong-registered websites are eligible to apply for the mark, and all applications will be reviewed by the HKFEC.

CHINA DAILY

SHANXI

Patent awards reward community-minded projects

The Shanxi government recently launched the first provincial-level patent awards to reward patent projects that have made the greatest contribution to the province's socioeconomic development. The government will invest 2 million yuan ($301,532) annually in the awards, with winners receiving 100,000 yuan each. Local officials said the awards are a complement to Shanxi's patent system and will encourage innovation.

SHANXI DAILY

ZHEJIANG

Trade center offers growing sector wide-ranging service

The first IP trade center in Zhejiang recently opened in the provincial capital Hangzhou. Initiated by the provincial science and technology administration and Zhejiang University, the center provides both online and offline services to IP rights owners, investors and buyers. Services include consultation, technology trade and commercialization, patent licensing, financing and legal consultation. Companies and individuals in Zhejiang filed nearly 200,000 patent applications in the first half of this year.

ZHEJIANG DAILY

ANHUI

Police forces unite to crack sugar counterfeiting case

Police in Anhui, Yunnan, Henan and Shandong provinces joined forces to investigate a large-scale cross-border sugar counterfeiting case involving 14 suspects and with a potential black market value of more than 130 million yuan ($19.6 million). The main suspect in the case, who is in Yunnan, used a smartphone app to contact truck drivers and buyers in China and Myanmar. Police raided 22 hideouts and seized more than 1,200 tons of sugar bearing fake trademarks of renowned domestic brands.

ANHUI BUSINESS NEWS

GUANGDONG

New index aims to guide development, policymakers

The IP authority of Guangzhou city has signed an agreement with two companies to compile the China Intellectual Property Guangzhou Index, which aims to measure China's development of patents, trademarks and copyright businesses and achievements. It is hoped that the index will provide a frame of reference for China's policymakers in drawing up IP legislation. It is also expected to show how IP promotes the nation's socioeconomic development.

XINHUA NEWS AGENCY

(China Daily 08/24/2016 page17)