On the afternoon of April 20, 2023, the Intellectual Property Dispute Resolution Forum 2023 (“the Forum”) was successfully held in Beijing with the theme of “The Future is Now: Challenges and Innovation of Intellectual Property Protection”.
The Forum was hosted by China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission (CIETAC), organized by CIETAC Intellectual Property Arbitration Center, and supported by China Patent Protection Association, China Trademark Association, Intellectual Property Committee of All China Lawyers Association, China Academy of Arbitration Law, CCPIT Patent and Trademark Law Office, China Patent Agent (H.K.) LTD. More than 100 people attended the event in person and the livestream of the Forum was watched nearly 40,000 times.
(Scene of the Forum)
Wang Chengjie, Vice Chairman and Secretary General of CIETAC, Mao Jinsheng, First Level Inspector of Intellectual Property Protection Department of the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA), Deng Yuhua, Counsellor of World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Office in China addressed the opening ceremony of the Forum. Xie Changqing, Vice President of the Arbitration Court of CIETAC presided over the opening ceremony.
(Secretary-General Wang Chengjie addressing the opening ceremony)
Secretary General Wang Chengjie said in his speech that, the Forum, held on the eve of World Intellectual Property Day, coincided with the 50th anniversary of China-WIPO cooperation, and served as an important event on the first day of the National IP Publicity Week, is undoubtedly more meaningful. Protecting intellectual property is protecting innovation. The importance China attaches to the protection of intellectual property has risen to the level of national strategy. The development of the digital economy, featured in digitization, networking and intelligence, has brought new issues and challenges to intellectual property protection. By combining multiple means, intellectual property protection safeguards the legitimate rights and interests of innovations, helps to build new advantages in international competition and promotes the high-quality development of the digital economy. Intellectual property disputes in the digital economy, characterized by the increasing number of disputes in new areas, growing complexity of legal relationships and demanding requirement for efficiency in dispute resolution, have also imposed higher requirements on intellectual property dispute resolution. As an effective way to resolve intellectual property disputes, arbitration is playing an increasingly important role in protecting intellectual property and promoting the high-quality development of the digital economy. CIETAC has been actively engaged in intellectual property dispute resolution and has accepted nearly 400 arbitration cases involving intellectual property in the past five years, with a dispute amount of nearly RMB 20 billion. CIETAC has also accepted nearly 4,000 domain name cases, covering parties from more than 20 countries and regions, helping a large number of trademark holders get their domain names back, contributing to safeguarding enterprises’ online intellectual property and ensuring the healthy development of the digital economy. Last year, Intellectual Property Arbitration Center was established by CIETAC to further enhance the professionalism of intellectual property arbitration service. CIETAC is willing to work with all parties to build consensus and strengthen cooperation in the future to promote a better and diversified intellectual property protection system.
(Inspector Mao Jinsheng addressing the opening ceremony)
Inspector Mao Jinsheng said in the speech that, knowledge is a tool to build a strong nation and property right is a foundation of the market economy. The effective resolution of conflicts and disputes in intellectual property is of great significance to optimize the business environment and stimulate innovation and creativity. As the national intellectual property authority, CNIPA, in accordance with the overall arrangements of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council and jointly with relevant administrative departments, has continued to make efforts in multiple aspects, including strengthening mediation in dispute, promoting administrative adjudication and enhancing coordinated protection, etc. As a frontrunner in China’s arbitration practice, CIETAC has conducted many practical explorations in intellectual property arbitration. He is looking forward to the continuous pioneering and innovating of CIETAC, as a force and leader in the development of domestic and international intellectual property arbitration, and to contribute its wisdom and strength to the construction of a diversified settlement mechanism for intellectual property disputes with Chinese characteristics.
(Counsellor Deng Yuhua addressing the opening ceremony)
Counsellor Deng Yuhua expressed her congratulations on the convening of the Forum on behalf of WIPO. She pointed out that, China has made significant progress in the frontier area of digital technology, promoting innovation and development and contributing Chinese wisdom. As a branch of WIPO in China, WIPO office in China is determined to serve as bridge and link to strengthen coordination and cooperation with relevant parties in China. WIPO office in China hopes to maintain communication and exchanges with CIETAC in the future, so as to provide more efficient, timely and professional alternative dispute resolution services in intellectual property for relevant parties in China.
(Vice President Xie Changqing presiding over the opening ceremony)
After the opening ceremony, Secretary General Wang Chengjie officially launched the Annual Report on International Intellectual Property Arbitration in China (2022) and briefed on the significance of its preparation, key contents and highlights. The annual report, officially published by China Legal Publishing House, is the first groundbreaking research report focusing on intellectual property arbitration in China.
(The Annual Report on International Intellectual Property Arbitration in China (2022) was officially launched)
In the keynote speech, Zhu Li, Deputy Chief Judge of Intellectual Property Court of the Supreme People’s Court of China, based on his many years of experience in intellectual property trials, gave an enlightening and professional speech with the topic of “Innovation of the Patent System in the Information Era” from three aspects, “New Issues and Challenges to the Patent System in the Information Era”, “Adjustment and Response of the Patent System”, and “Reforms in the Patent Litigation System”.
(Deputy Chief Judge Zhu Li delivering the keynote speech)
The themed presentation session, focusing on “Breaking and Establishing the Intellectual Property Protection under Digital Technology Innovation”, was moderated by Yang Fan, Director of CIETAC Intellectual Property Dispute Resolution Division. Zhang Bo, Deputy Chief Judge of the Case-filling Division of the Beijing Internet Court, Xue Jun, CIETAC arbitrator, Professor at Peking University Law School and Director of Peking University Research Centre for E-Commerce Law (video speech), Xia Quan, Global Vice President of Qualcomm, and Diao Yunyun, Deputy General Manager of the Legal Department of Tencent Holdings, made speeches respectively on the topic of “Judicial Protection of Internet-Related Copyright in the Digital Economy”, “Preliminary Thoughts on Relevant Legal Issues Raised by ChatGPT”, “Protecting Intellectual Property -- Escorting Technological Innovation” and “Practices and Suggestions of Punitive Damages in the Video Infringement Cases”.
(From top to bottom, left to right: Director Yang Fan, Deputy Chief Judge Zhang Bo, Professor Xue Jun, Vice President Xia Quan, Deputy General Manager Diao Yun Yun)
The panel discussion, held with the theme of "Intellectual Property Dispute Resolution Supporting High-Quality Development", was chaired by Wang Zhengzhi, CIETAC arbitrator and Director of Intellectual Property Committee of All China Lawyers Association. Qian Xiaohong, CIETAC arbitrator and the Former Presiding Judge of the Intellectual Property Court of the Supreme People's Court of China, Li Yang, Professor of Civil, Commercial and Economic Law School of China University of Political Science and Law and Vice President of Intellectual Property Law Association of Chinese Law Society, Wang Jin, CIETAC arbitrator and General Counsel of Beijing Electronics Holdings Co., Ltd and Shao Wei, CIETAC arbitrator and Director of NTD Intellectual Property Attorneys, focused on cutting-edge developments of intellectual property dispute resolution and had in-depth discussion with specific cases on how to take advantage of diversified dispute resolution mechanism including arbitration and to promote the formulation of intellectual property rule of law.
(From top to bottom, left to right: Director Wang Zhengzhi, Arbitrator Qian Xiaohong, Professor Li Yang, General Counsel Wang Jin, Director Shao Wei)
At the end of the Forum, Vice President Xie Changqing summarized and expressed her gratitude to all the guests for their wonderful sharing. She said that, the Forum today was enriched by the insights of experts from different areas on the demands, problems and strategies of intellectual property protection under digital technology innovation. A common desire to play further the role of alternative dispute resolution such as arbitration in resolving intellectual property disputes was expressed. In the coming future, CIETAC hopes to continue to work together with all communities to promote a wider application of arbitration in intellectual property dispute resolution, strive to enhance the credibility of intellectual property arbitration, and contribute to strengthening the legal protection of intellectual property to boost innovation and development.
