WIPO China: ADG Marco Alemán Highlights Global Challenges on IP Adjudication and the Importance of International Cooperation at the Judicial Symposium

Hangzhou, May 29 - The International Judicial Symposium on Intellectual Property began on May 29 in Hangzhou, a collaboration between the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and the Supreme People’s Court of China (SPC). Mr. Marco Alemán, Assistant Director General of WIPO, Justice Tao Kaiyuan, Vice President of the Supreme People’s Court, and Justice Li Zhanguo, President of Zhejiang High People’s Court addressed the opening ceremony, emphasizing the crucial role of judiciaries in the evolving IP law landscape.

Mr. Alemán underscored the importance of international cooperation in tackling complex issues related to data, trade secrets, and specialized IP courts. He highlighted that the symposium provides a unique platform for judges from around the world to share experiences and best practices, fostering a collective approach to IP adjudication.

Praising China’s advancements in IP law, Mr. Alemán noted its innovative judicial reforms, including the establishment of specialized IP courts. He emphasized that China's experience serves as a model for other nations seeking to enhance their IP adjudication systems.

Mr. Alemán outlined the symposium’s focus on three key areas: addressing the challenges posed by new technologies like AI and the metaverse on IP law, emphasizing the significance of trade secrets in fostering innovation, and exploring global trends in the modernization of IP dispute resolution with specialized judicial structures.

He highlighted WIPO’s commitment to supporting global judiciaries through initiatives such as facilitating global judicial dialogue, providing collective judicial knowledge and judicial education, and offering alternative dispute resolution service. Mr. Alemán also mentioned WIPO’s collaboration with the Chinese judiciary in producing resources like the WIPO Collection of Leading Judgments on Intellectual Property Rights. He concluded by expressing hope that the symposium would inspire participants, strengthen international collaboration in IP adjudication, and reaffirm WIPO’s dedication to supporting effective IP systems worldwide.

Ms. Tao stated that Chinese courts have maintained long-term communication and cooperation with WIPO, particularly since the signing of a cooperation memorandum in 2017. Through in-depth and practical cooperation, significant achievements have been made in intellectual property judicial protection, case exchanges, academic research areas. In 2023, Chinese courts have newly received over 540,000 intellectual property cases, covering traditional fields as well as emerging areas such as artificial intelligence, quantum technology, and data rights. These cases have enhanced the intellectual property adjudication capabilities of Chinese judges and significantly promoted intellectual property protection in China. Ms. Tao echoed Mr. Alemán’s statement on the recent decision made by the members state of WIPO adopting " WIPO Treaty on Intellectual Property, Genetic Resources and Associated Traditional Knowledge", which represents a significant contribution by developing countries in the international intellectual property field and has far-reaching implications for improving the intellectual property system. In the future, Chinese courts are willing to strengthen cooperation with the WIPO to jointly promote the advancement of the global intellectual property governance system.

Mr. Li emphasized that innovation is the most powerful driving force for development. The intellectual property system serves as a catalyst for incentivizing innovation and an accelerator for economic development. Zhejiang Province is known for its vibrant private economy, innovation, and strong intellectual property protection. In recent years, Zhejiang courts have fully utilized their functions in intellectual property adjudication, comprehensively deepening reforms in the field of intellectual property adjudication, and focusing on building a model area for judicial protection of intellectual property rights. Zhejiang courts will further enhance exchanges and cooperation to jointly promote the global intellectual property governance system moving towards a more just and equitable direction, creating a favorable legal environment for the development of new quality productive forces, and ensuring that the fruits of innovation benefit the people more extensively.

During the symposium, Mr. Alemán had in-depth exchanges with Ms. Tao on the cooperation between WIPO and SPC in the field of IP judiciary, the global development of specialized IP courts, and the important role of transnational judicial dialogue and cooperation.

During his visit in Hangzhou, Mr. Alemán also paid a visit to Alibaba and was interviewed exclusively by Zhejiang TV.

This symposium, co-hosted by WIPO and SPC, represents another thrilling collaboration on the international judicial protection of intellectual property and marks a new level of cooperation between the two sides. The event, attended by about 100 judges, law enforcement officials and experts from WIPO, Europe, Singapore, the United Kingdom, the Republic of Korea, Malaysia, Australia, Thailand, the United States of America and China, aims to foster dialogue and share best practices in IP adjudication.