Belt & Road - 5 Years On: 2018 High-Level Conference on Intellectual Property

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02:44

A high-level conference on intellectual property brought representatives from Belt and Road Initiative countries to Beijing Tuesday. The meeting aims to enhance multilateral cooperation and seeks solutions for current challenges. CGTN's Liu Yang has more.

With intellectual property issues still fueling much of the China-US trade spat, Belt and Road Initiative partners are stepping in.

Based on the idea of "inclusiveness, development, cooperation and mutual benefit", distinguished guests and experts from several Belt and Road nations gathered in Beijing Tuesday.

The liveliest of topics included new trends in intellectual property development, IP commercialization, and improvement on related laws and protection of traditional heritage.

ANDRAS JOKUTI, ACTING VP FOR LEGAL AFFAIRS HUNGARY IP OFFICE "In recent months, we do see an intensification of cooperation in the field of IP, so all of these are excellent opportunities to exchange experiences and to exchange knowledge and reinforce cooperation."

JOSEF DVORNAK, DEPUTY PRESIDENT INDUSTRIAL PROPERTY OFFICE, CZECH REPUBLIC "We must cooperate because we need the same level of protection, which can support our business and our lives in our countries."

In recent years, China has organized a series of IP training sessions for 69 officials from about 30 countries to improve their capacity in patent examination.

LIU YANG BEIJING "Participants at the event are expected to issue a cooperation plan on legal policies and data exchanges, to improve awareness and promote a win-win situation among Belt and Road countries."

Since the Belt and Road Initiative was launched in 2013, patent applications from Chinese filers have grown 16 percent, reaching more than five thousand in B&R countries last year.

RAIMUND LUTZ, VP OF INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS EUROPEAN PATENT OFFICE "In Chinese and European patent offices, we cooperate on international levels, and it helps to harmonize the patent system."

Experts say in the digital age, the internet and artificial intelligence have posed new challenges for IP protection. The cooperation is essential in patents, trademarks, industrial designs and geographical indication trademarks. Liu Yang, CGTN, Beijing.