The 13th BRICS Heads of Intellectual Property Offices Meeting (HIPO) was held virtually on August 25. Shri Rajendra Ratnoo, Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks (India) chaired the meeting. Dr. Shen Changyu, Commissioner of CNIPA (China), Mr. Cláudio Vilar Furtado, President of INPI (Brazil), Mr. Grigory Ivliev, Director General of ROSPATENT (Russia), and Adv Rory Voller, Commissioner of CIPC (South Africa), attended the meeting along with their respective delegations.

Heads of the five IP offices listened to the reports on the progress of their projects and the next steps to be taken under the "BRICS Intellectual Property Offices Cooperation Roadmap". With a focus on the application of digital technology and other emerging technologies, attendees shared their successful experience and discussed possible cooperation in the future.

IPR cooperation among BRICS countries, namely Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, was launched in 2012. Accomplishments since the launch include increasing awareness of IPR, joint personnel training and exchanges, and strengthening trademark and industrial design protections. In 2022, CNIPA will take over the secretariat to organize relevant meetings on IP cooperation among BRICS.

(Source: CNIPA Official WeChat Account)

Pursuant to the Joint Statement of Intent of CNIPA and IPOS on Deepening Cooperation in Patent Prosecution and Extending PPH Pilot Program, China-Singapore PPH pilot program will be extended for another five years starting from September 1, 2021, and will be terminated on August 31, 2026.

The extended China-Singapore PPH pilot program will introduce the PPH Mottainai program, enabling applicants to file PPH requests to the two offices using the work products of the continuing application receiving office. Relevant requirements and procedures shall be referred to in the latest Guidance of CNIPA-IPOS PPH Request.

The China-Singapore PPH pilot program was initially launched on September 1, 2013. It has been extended for three times and the termination date after the last extension is August 31, 2021.

(Source: CNIPA Website)

According to a decision jointly made by CNIPA and CIPO, the PPH pilot program between China and Canada will be extended for another five years between September 1, 2021 and August 31, 2026. Relevant requirements and procedures to submit PPH requests to the two offices remain unchanged.

The China-Canada PPH pilot program was initially launched on September 1, 2013. It has been extended twice and the termination date after the last extension is August 31, 2021.

(Source: CNIPA Website)

On September 3, one of the important events in the 2021 China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS), "Trademark Protection Helps Chinese Enterprises 'Go Global' – International Seminar on the Promotion of Madrid International Trademark Registration System", was held by Beijing Municipal Intellectual Property Office and WIPO Office in China in the China National Convention Center. DU Yanxia, a Unitalen partner, was invited to deliver a keynote speech on the Seminar.

DU Yanxia spoke on "Suggestions and Practical Skills on Application Filing Through the Madrid International Trademark System", and then attended the high-level dialogue where the attendees exchanged ideas on development trends, latest dynamics and relevant business of the Madrid International Trademark System, and discussed the work on brands’ international operation and protection, helping Chinese users understand the international trademark registration system and enhancing the enterprises' awareness on overseas IP layout and protection.

The 2021 China Fashion IP Conference was jointly held by China Trademark Association and China Fashion Association in Beijing on September 12, with the theme "The International Perspective of Fashion IP Protection". ZHAO Lei, Unitalen Partner and lawyer, was invited to attend the conference and discussed the overseas IP layout strategies of Chinese fashion enterprises with other guests.

Heavy rainstorms and floods hit many parts of Henan Province, China, in late July. When a disaster strikes, help comes from all sides. Facing the disaster, Unitalen actively responded to the country's call and donated RMB 100 thousand through the CPC Committee of the Capital Intellectual Property Services Association to support flood control and post-disaster reconstruction in the stricken areas. Meanwhile, many Unitalen staff also donated money and supplies to the stricken areas in the first place to help the fellow countrymen pull through and rebuild their homes.