China is to hold a conference on intellectual property (IP) rights for countries along the Belt and Road in Beijing on August 28th and 29th, the State Intellectual Property Office announced on Friday.

The meeting will focus on intellectual property partnerships among Belt and Road countries, and the specific challenges they face when it comes to global intellectual property. The participating countries will explore possible areas of cooperation in the field of intellectual property among BRI countries and further implement the IP cooperation projects initiated in 2016.

This year, about 300 experts and government representatives, including some European IP organizations will attend. The meeting will feature both a public round-table discussion as well as a closed meeting. There will be nearly 30 keynote speeches concerning industrial transformation and upgrading, IP laws, policies and practices, IP protection, with the aim of creating a good business environment and promoting economic development of the BRI countries.

He Zhimin, deputy commissioner of China's State Intellectual Property Office, said that this year's  conference should result in eight cooperative projects being unveiled concerning IP policies, public awareness, and human resources. Meanwhile, a joint statement for further promoting the IP cooperation among BRI countries will also be issued. 

He said that IP cooperation among BRI countries will help these countries to further expand in global markets.

"Intellectual property cooperation among Belt and Road countries will help these countries further expand in global markets. And enterprises among the countries will come to know the IP systems and business environment of these Belt and Road countries well, promoting their development in global markets.”

The high-level conference on IP rights for countries along the Belt and Road was first held in 2016, in which several common initiatives were reached, including cooperation on IP laws, regulations, policies and strategies, as well as capacity building.  

(Cover image: Officials of State Intellectual Property Office briefs the media about high-level IP conference among BRI countries. /SIPO Photo)