1. Beijing
Awards aid patent commercialization
The capital city's intellectual property office is sponsoring commercialization of 10 patents from nine companies with a total of 4.6 million yuan ($694,600).
Datang Mobile's wireless broadband technology based on the TD-SCDMA standard and a new medicine developed by the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences were each awarded the top prize of 1 million yuan.
Liu Zhengang, director general of the city's intellectual property office, said the funding "greatly promotes industrialization of patents and encourages technological exchanges".
2. Shaanxi
City of Baoji big winner in invention honors
The province's invention association honored five organizations and 35 individuals for their inventions late last year.
Baoji in the west of the province was the biggest winner, taking 5 of the total 35 prizes, leading all the cities in Shaanxi.
Inventions that received awards included those for food processing machinery, electronics and police equipment. The city's intellectual property office was also honored for its outstanding organization.
3. Jiangsu
Regulation protects 2014 Youth Games
The Nanjing government recently released a regulation to strengthen intellectual property protection for the city's 2014 Youth Olympic Games, a "crucial" move in preparing for the event and improving the city's international image, officials said.
According to the regulation, the commercial use of images resembling the event's logos, trademarks and mascots must be authorized by copyright owners.
Without authorization, companies and individuals are not allowed to advertise and solicit contributions or sponsorships in the name of the International Olympic Committee, Chinese Olympic Committee and Nanjing Youth Olympic Committee.
4. Guizhou
Servers seized at download website
The southwestern province's cultural department has seized computer servers and other equipment from a large music portal offering pirated music.
The website www.mtvtop.net had more than 710,000 songs offered for download, most of which were unauthorized, admitted Yu Fei, the manager of the operation.
Suspects are liable for heavy fine and the case has been handed to the police for further investigation, according to the department.
5. Guangdong
First independent IP inspection in Zhuhai
The nation's first independent intellectual property inspection office has been set up in Zhuhai, another of the city's moves to strengthen protection following establishment of an intellectual property court in 2009.
The inspection office will be mainly in charge of crackdowns on crime and law enforcement supervision.
Seen as a demonstration for further reforms and opening up, the city has emphasized efforts to develop high-tech industries and intensifying its innovative capability.
The city's patent applications grew 19 percent and authorizations were up 17 percent from 2000 to 2009.
6. Taiwan
Cross-Straights forum for patent cooperation
A recent high-level patent forum in Taipei attracted more than 300 delegates including patent agents, law experts, scholars and business leaders.
The vent was co-hosted by the Beijing-based All-China Patent Agents Association (ACPAA) and Taiwan's Chinese National Federation of Industries (CNFI).
Xiao Xingwei, senior advisor to the ACPAA, noted the forum played an important role in promoting cooperation on patents between the Chinese mainland and Taiwan and understanding their intellectual property systems.
As the annual forum expands, it provides a good environment for cross-Strait exchanges, said CNFI's secretary general Tsai Lien-sheng.
China Daily
(China Daily 01/12/2011 page17)
