The Director of China’s State Intellectual Property Office- Mr. Tian Lipu said on May 8 at the opening forum of China (Shanghai) International Technology Import and Export Fair that, in the last year the total amount of patents that China’s State Intellectual Property Office accepted from more than 140 countries and regions accounts for nearly 30% of new patent applications in that year worldwide, which is a historic breakthrough.

Christian Wichard, Deputy Director General of World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), said on the forum that currently China is already the fourth-largest country that uses the international patent system established by World Intellectual Property Organization, ranking after the United States, Japan and Germany. China submitted more than 500,000 patent applications in 2011 solely, and in terms of the number of patent applications, China’s State Intellectual Property Office is already the world's largest patent office. Last year, China surpassed U.S. for the first time, which was previously No. one, in the number of patent applications.

According to Yonhap, the subordinate agency of South Korean Patent Office (equivalent to China Patent Office)- the South Korea Patent Information Institute, said recently that the institute signed a memorandum of understanding on business cooperation with China Intellectual Property Publishing House and Japanese Patent Information Agency on the same day.

Under the MOU, the three parties will strengthen the exchange of information in the field of intellectual property; promote cooperation in goods and services; actively participate in and disseminate seminars and events associated with patent information; carry out personnel exchanges on a regular basis.

Recently, official from the Chinese State Administration for Industry and Commerce said that China's e-commerce law has been included in the legislative agenda of NPC Financial and Economic Committee and Law Committee, and is being drafted. The drafting and making of e-commerce law will strengthen the protection of e-business intellectual property.

It is understood that, in recent years, the network market problems have gradually become the focus of public concern. According to the relevant official, the State Administration for Industry and Commerce will concentrate on modification and improvement of some network regulatory regulations in the near future with some other departments, and intend to implement them in the second half of this year.

On May 30, Mr. Tian Lipu, Director of China’s State Intellectual Property Office, visited Canadian Intellectual Property Office in Ottawa, Canada. The two directors signed the MOU of Sino-Canadian Patent Prosecution Highway and the MOU of cooperation.

It is reported that the Patent Prosecution Highway is intended to promote information sharing and make expedited examination on the qualified patent applications. The Sino-Canadian Patent Prosecution Highway will take effect on September 01, 2013 with a valid period of two years.