DDG Wang Binying Meets with Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu｜Series Reports (IV)

April 5, 2023

On April 3, Ms. Wang Binying, Deputy Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), met with Mr. Ma Zhaoxu, Vice Foreign Minister of China, during her visit to China for the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference.

Ms. Wang expressed her appreciation for attending the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference and emphasized the significance of Chinese Premier Li Qiang’s keynote speech, which highlighted China's important role in promoting world peace and development.  Ms. Wang believes that China's commitment to reform, opening-up, and innovation-driven development will continue to provide dynamic impetus and vitality into global economic development, providing opportunities and benefits to the world.

During her visit to China, Ms. Wang mentioned that WIPO and the Boao Forum for Asia co-hosted a sub-forum on intellectual property (IP), where Chinese stakeholders discussed the future of IP in the digital economy and a fully virtual world, and shared their insights.  Additionally, with the support of the Supreme People’s Court of China, the WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center signed an agreement with the Hainan High People’s Court to cooperate on Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) in the area of IP.  This agreement will benefit IP stakeholders in Hainan and beyond, by providing them with efficient and cost-effective ADR options for the resolution of foreign-related IP disputes.

Ms. Wang also discussed with Mr. Ma issues related to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) concerning WIPO DG's visit to China, as well as exchanged views on future cooperation between the two sides.

Mr. Ma said, WIPO is the specialized agency responsible for the development and protection of IP within the framework of the United Nations (UN), and China acknowledges and supports the leading role of WIPO in the development of the global IP ecosystem.  China appreciates DG Daren Tang for his leadership in guiding WIPO’s cooperation with China and for the positive progress made in the area of IP norm-setting and the utilization of IP services and systems since he took office.  It is also appreciated that, during DDG Wang’s visit to China, WIPO established a cooperative relationship with Hainan on ADR in the area of IP, which will support Hainan in building a free trade port with high quality and standards.

Mr. Ma shared that, China’s accession to the Hague Agreement and ratification of the Marrakesh Treaty in 2022 has shown its commitment to multilateralism.  China’s ranking in the Global Innovation Index has steadily risen for ten consecutive years, showcasing its remarkable achievements in innovation, creation and IP protection.  China is also a major user of WIPO’s PCT, Madrid and Hague systems, ranking 1st, 3rd, 2nd respectively in the number of applications in 2022, reflecting the vitality of China’s innovation-driven development.

Mr. Ma said China looks forward to strengthening cooperation with WIPO and expressed the hope that WIPO’s services, policies, information and cooperation in the field of IP will further benefit the northeastern, northwestern, and southwestern regions of China, especially in areas such as rural revitalization through geographical indications (GIs), women’s empowerment and capacity building, so as to jointly promote the achievement of UN Sustainable Development Goals, advance the Global Development Initiative, and foster balanced, inclusive and sustainable development worldwide.