Anniversary celebrates system's growth role

The Madrid System for the International Registration of Marks has played an important role in promoting the global protection of intellectual property, boosting world trade and economic growth, and advancing the innovation of knowledge worldwide, said Liu Yuting, vice-minister of the State Administration for Industry and Commerce.

Liu gave a speech at a celebration last week in Qingdao, Shandong province, to mark the 125th anniversary of the system's establishment.

The Madrid System is a one-stop solution for trademark holders to obtain and maintain protection in multiple markets. It offers the potential for simultaneous protection in up to 114 territories of its 98 members. These countries and regions represent more than 80 percent of world trade, and membership is growing every year.

The ceremony, which was hosted by the World Intellectual Property Organization and SAIC, attracted the participation of more than 200 guests from 27 countries and regions. They included government officials and representatives of corporations, international organizations and non-governmental organizations.

"China became a member of the system in 1989, which paved the way for the internationalization of its trademarks and opened the door for foreign brands entering the Chinese market," said Liu.

SAIC's Minister Zhang Mao sent a congratulatory letter to the ceremony, saying that developing a brand economy and implementing innovation-driven strategies have achieved consensus in all sectors of society in China. The Chinese government has constantly promoted reforms to facilitate trademark registration and improve the effective utilization of the Madrid System, through training and localized measures.

Miguel Margain, chairman of the Madrid Union Assembly, said the system sees opportunities for broader cooperation with China, as it is the world's second-largest economy and the engine of the global economy.

The system would help Chinese enterprises explore international markets and it is committed to the long-term, healthy development of the world economy together with China, he added.

The number of Madrid trademark applications filed by Chinese applicants is encouraging, said Liu. Last year, WIPO received nearly 50,000 international trademark applications filed through the Madrid System, and China ranked sixth in the number of applications.

As of October, Chinese applicants have filed nearly 22,000 Madrid trademark applications.

During the ceremony, Xia Geng, deputy governor of Shandong, briefed the guests on the achievements in the province in the area of trademark strategy.

Shandong now has 562,000 valid trademarks, including 666 well-known Chinese trademarks, which have played a major role in optimizing industrial structure and increasing regional economic competitiveness.

haonan@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 11/23/2016 page17)