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What are the key IP issues that you face?
Bruce Wang, Asia Pacific IP counsel, Kimberly-Clark
Both IP clearance (including patent and trademark clearances) and anti-counterfeiting /anti-copycatting are the key IP issues I am confronted with.
Victor Shao, head of product security, Sanofi
Anti-counterfeiting is most important for my work but I believe trademark infringement issues are also important.
Vincent Yu, counsel (Asia IP), General Motors
There has been lots of trademark squatting in China. The Trademark Law does not mandate a streamlined process to deal with squatting. For example, if we want to challenge a squatting trademark, we have to file a cancellation or invalidation against it and at the same time we need to file our own trademark application. But the reviewing processes of cancellation/invalidation and application have different timelines and this makes it difficult for authentic trademark owners to secure registration.
On the patent side, software patents now dominate many sectors, including the automotive industry. The key IP issue is how we are going to protect software-related technology. This is quite challenging because we come across patentability issues all the time.
Bo Tian, senior IP counsel for Asia Pacific, Ingersoll Rand
Trade secret theft.
Yide Ma, president, Zhongguancun Intellectual Property Strategy Research Institute
The quality of IP rights and how to improve the quality of them is the first issue. The second is how to promote the industrialisation and commercialisation of IP rights to promote human technological progress and benefit mankind.
What do you think will be the biggest challenge for your market in the next 12 months?
Bruce Wang, Kimberly-Clark
Effectively combatting counterfeiters and copycats will be the biggest challenge.
Victor Shao, Sanofi
One is China’s pharmaceutical policy, which will influence the whole industry; the second is counterfeiting.
Bo Tian, senior IP counsel for Asia Pacific, Ingersoll Rand
How to maintain and explore more markets through IP.
Yide Ma, Zhongguancun Intellectual Property Strategy Research Institute
Unilateralism and trade protectionism, or anti-globalisation populism.
In which IP areas do you foresee the biggest growth in China and Asia?
Bruce Wang, Kimberly-Clark
For China, I think the number of IP enforcement cases will continue to grow as the government tries to further improve and strengthen IP protection nationwide.
Victor Shao, Sanofi
For the pharmaceutical industry, creative new medicines will be important.
Vincent Yu, counsel (Asia IP), General Motors
IP related to data and software.
Bo Tian, senior IP counsel for Asia Pacific, Ingersoll Rand
IP litigation and damages in addition to traditional IP filings.
Yide Ma, Zhongguancun Intellectual Property Strategy Research Institute
In terms of the contribution rate of patents to the market and the driving force of technological progress, the field of high and new technology. E-commerce has grown the fastest.
Which new regulations are following most?
Bruce Wang, Kimberly-Clark
The new Chinese Patent Law, the new Chinese Patent Examination Guidelines, the new Anti-unfair Competition Law, and the Chinese E-Commerce Law.
Victor Shao, Sanofi
The E-Commerce Law, which will influence online anti-counterfeiting stakeholders like Alibaba, Tencent and logistics companies.
Yide Ma, Zhongguancun Intellectual Property Strategy Research Institute
A complete law on business secrets, which will become an effective law to drive enterprises to research and develop and gain competitive advantage.
What has been the biggest progress made in IP in China over the past 12 months?
Bruce Wang, Kimberly-Clark
The government has made a lot of effort to improve and strengthen IP protection in China, and has made commitments to improve quality of patent examination.
Victor Shao, Sanofi
The whole country, especially the senior leadership, is paying much more attention to IP protection which is helping with the situation.
Vincent Yu, counsel (Asia IP), General Motors
Trademark development, both in terms of the application process (suppressing trademark squatting), and enforcement.
Bo Tian, senior IP counsel for Asia Pacific, Ingersoll Rand
IP regulations related to foreign companies.
Yide Ma, Zhongguancun Intellectual Property Strategy Research Institute
China's top officials attach great importance to IP rights, emphasising their importance at various conferences and meetings. China is also speeding up the revision and legislation of IP rights. China's practical approach to IP rights has attracted worldwide attention.
For more information on the Global IP & Innovation Summit 2019, including the agenda and speaker line-up, click here or contact one of the Managing IP team.
