IP scene

Beijing

Software copyright breaks 1 million in 2018

China completed more than 1.1 million software copyright registrations in 2018, a year-on-year rise of 48 percent, breaking the 1 million barrier for the first time, according to a report by the Copyright Protection Center of China. The number has increased by more than 10,000 times, compared with that in 1992 when the country implemented its software copyright registration system. Popular areas of registration included app or mobile software and games, finance, education, healthcare and internet of things software. App registrations saw a year-on-year jump of 76 percent and accounted for about one quarter of the total. Northeastern regions saw last year's growth surpass 90 percent, much higher than the national average.

Xinhua News Agency

Hebei

Xiongan to celebrate its cultural brands

A cultural festival scheduled to be held in Xiongan New Area from April 26 to 28 will feature an intangible cultural heritage exhibition and related performances. Items to be showcased include ancient music from Xiongxian county, which originated in the Song Dynasty (960-1279), and Fanzi Boxing, a long-standing Chinese martial art. Cultural products, antiques and jewelry will also be on display at the event, which aims to foster the cultural brands of Xiongan, organizers said.

China Intellectual Property News

Hubei

University IP course targets foreign students

Under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative, an intellectual property education program for international students is being taught at Zhongnan University of Economics and Law in Hubei province, said Yao Li, vice-president of the university, while attending the first China-ASEAN Law School Deans' Forum held in Chongqing on Friday and Saturday. The program, inaugurated last October, is a cooperation project between the university and the China National Intellectual Property Administration, to enhance exchanges between Chinese universities and BRI countries and regions in fields such as culture, research and training. It has so far enrolled 14 overseas students seeking master's degrees.

Legal Daily

Zhejiang

Hangzhou internet court releases white paper

The Hangzhou Internet Court, the first of its kind in the country, launched in August 2017 to settle online disputes, recently issued a 2018 white paper on the e-commerce industry, aiming to create a favorable legal environment for healthy and orderly development of the digital economy. The court also released a series of related typical cases, including many in the intellectual property field. Through them, the court hopes it can help e-commerce practitioners raise awareness of IP protection and avoid violations of IP rights.

China Intellectual Property News

Xinjiang

Jewelry, jade alliance to protect members

An intellectual property alliance for the jewelry and jade industries was recently founded by the Xinjiang Jewelry Chamber of Commerce in Urumqi, capital of the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region. It aims to protect patents, trademarks, business secrets, well-known brand logos and packaging, domain names and other IP rights of the chamber members. "Design is one of the most important elements in the jewelry and jade industries," said Fan Junqi, head of the chamber of commerce. "The copycats have greatly undermined designers' enthusiasm for creation and also hindered the industries' progress." Fan said he expected the alliance to help strengthen IP management and protection, encourage innovation and promote a healthy development of Xinjiang's jewelry and jade industries.

Ipr.gov.cn

(China Daily 04/04/2019 page17)