IP Standards Facilitate International Cooperation and the Use and Dissemination of IP Information

May 26, 2021

On May 19, 2021, the first International Forum on Innovation Management and Intellectual Property was held jointly by the Beijing Municipal Intellectual Property Office and the Chaoyang District People's Government in Beijing. Ms. LIU Hua, Director of WIPO Office in China (WOC) attended and delivered a speech at the event.

On behalf of WIPO, Director Liu Hua congratulated the opening of the forum and pointed out that when technology advances at a rapid pace, standardization becomes essential for progresses of all industries, especially the IP industry since its mission is to encourage innovation and creativity.

She said that as an UN specialized agency, WIPO aims to establish an inclusive, balanced and effective global IP ecosystem. In 2009, WIPO member states established the Committee on WIPO Standards (CWS). The committee is the collaborative international forum for discussing and reaching agreement on WIPO Standards, including the setting, revision and development of the standards. It also deals with other matters relating to intellectual property information and documentation.

WIPO Standards provide a single, common framework for working with information contained in IP documents. They cover patents, industrial designs, trademarks, geographical indications and copyright and are used at all stages of the industrial property prosecution (filing, examination, publication, grant, etc.) as well as data dissemination. Using WIPO Standards helps intellectual property offices around the globe work in a more efficient, harmounious and timely fashion. WIPO Standards also greatly simplify both international cooperation among offices and use by the public of IP information.

She introduced WIPO's global IP services, systems, databases and platforms, and noted that China has achieved remarkable achievements in recent years in using IP for innovation development. China's outstanding performance in the Global Innovation Index 2020 also indicates that it is growing from a follower to a leader in the field of IP.

Director Liu Hua appreciated China's involvement in WIPO and commended the cooperation between the Beijing Municipal Government and WIPO in the field of IP in recent years, including the signing and implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding on Strengthening Cooperation in Intellectual Property, the promotion of six institutions in Beijing as WIPO Technology and Innovation Support Centers (TISCs). WIPO will continue to strengthen its cooperation with Chinese stakeholders to provide more qualified, timely and efficient services to innovation players in China and Beijing.