China officials have proposed changes in the country's patent laws intended to take its intellectual-property protections beyond the U.N. standards and to a higher level. The State Intellectual Property Office said the emphasis now is on patent commercialization as well as protection.
The China administration's cabinet adopted amendments to the patent law and posted them for public comment at the beginning of the month. Speaking at symposium on the draft amendments, an official of SIPO said the intent also was to make it easier for patent owners to prosecute infringement cases.
One section deals with online counterfeit products, an issue of interest to the pharmaceutical industry, by holding Internet service providers responsible for preventing and controlling illegal deals on their services.
One local patent expert said the amendments illustrate an increased emphasis on both protection and use in China and that overall they take IP protection beyond the minimum standards proposed by the World Health Organization.
Another expert told China Daily the amendments reflected a mindset that believes the value of a patent does not necessarily lie in its protection, but in its commercialization and use.
- here's the story from China Daily