Highlights of 2022

Editor's words

As the New Year's bell rings, we are bidding farewell to the exciting 2022 and embracing the hopeful new year of 2023. In the outgoing year, we worked innovatively, witnessed numerous future landmarks of China's flourishing IP cause, and delivered the inspiring Chinese achievements to the world. At the beginning of the new year, Bilingual Weekly presents a special edition to review the highlights deserving their spots in times.

RCEP witnesses regional IPR protection improvement

On January 1, 2022, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) went into effect, marking the launch of the world's largest free trade area. IPR chapter is heavily featured in the RCEP, providing a balanced and inclusive solution for the protection and promotion of IPRs in the region. It plays an important role in deepening economic integration and cooperation， promoting innovation cooperation and sustainable development in the region and witnesses China's further involvement in regional IPR governance.

IPR supports Beijing Olympics

During the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games from February 4 to 20, 2022, China's IPR protection made its own name on the world stage. Malicious trademark registration attempts of mascot "Bing Dwen Dwen", name of star athlete "Gu Ailing" and other related symbols were stymied while tens of thousands of links were deleted for alleged Winter Olympics-related infringement. China's solid score sheet of IPR protection for the Olympics proudly tells the world its efforts in building all-around IPR protection system for the Winter Olympics works.

Hague Agreement and Marrakesh Treaty effective in China

On May 5, 2022, the Hague Agreement Concerning the International Registration of Industrial Designs and the Marrakesh Treaty to Facilitate Access to Published Works for Persons Who Are Blind, Visually Impaired or Otherwise Print Disabled entered into force in China, marking a new step for China's in-depth involvement in world IP governance. In the past year, the Hague Agreement has become an "expressway" for Chinese innovators to "go global" thanks to its simple and efficient nature for international design registration. The Marrakesh Treaty protects the cultural rights and interests of the people who are print disabled, becoming a milestone in China's copyright cause.

Innovated in China recognized globally

The Global Innovation Index (GII) released by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in September 2022 reveals that China's ranking rose from 34th in 2012 to 11th in 2022, ranking first among upper-middle-income economies. China's achievements in innovation reflect the remarkable progress in China's comprehensive IPR strength as well as its innovative power in science and technology, and also corroborate China's tremendous achievements in implementing the innovation-driven development strategy and strengthening IPR protection.

"Chinese tea processing techniques" inscribed on UNESCO heritage list

In November 2022, the "Traditional Tea Processing Techniques and Associated Social Practices in China" project was inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. China is the most prolific country in the world with 43 items inscribed on the UNESCO list. Guided by the working policy of "focus on protection, rescue first, rational utilization, inheritance and development", China has achieved notable results in the conservation and inheritance of intangible cultural heritage in recent years, providing the world with an option of "Chinese plan" for such endeavor.

Pragmatic China-EU GI cooperation delivers

In December 2022, China National Intellectual Property Administration received applications for geographical indication (GI) protection for 175 EU products, including Inl公式nderrum, constantly expanding the coverage of GI products from both China and Europe. Since a relevant GI cooperation agreement in play, Chinese and European GIs' potentials in exploring industrial development have been unleashed. Through accompanying expos and conferences, Chinese and European businesses relying on GIs are making much new headway.

First homemade large passenger aircraft C919 delivered

The C919, China's first self－developed jet trunk aircraft, was delivered in December 2022, demonstrating China's innovation prowess in independent development. The C919 passenger aircraft represents the result of a dozen years' scientific research made by hundreds of thousands of staff from more than 200 enterprises and 36 universities in 22 provinces in China, who made breakthroughs in more than 100 key technologies and submitted over 10,000 patent applications. It marks an important milestone in China's large aircraft industry.

Historic breakthroughs in building space station

The Wentian Module, part of China's space station, was successfully launched; Astronaut crew of Shenzhou 15 and Shenzhou 14 made a rendezvous in space... In 2022, China never stopped its efforts in building a "space home". In the construction of the space station, a wealth of key core technologies with self-generated IPRs have helped China make a quantum leap in manned spaceflight.

Source: China IP News