1. China¡¯s Accession to International Conventions for the Protection of IPR

While improving its legal system, China, since the 1980s, has acceded one after the other to the major international conventions and agreements for the protection of IPR. Since 1980 when China first acceded to the Convention Establishing the World Intellectual Property Organization, it has acceded successively to the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property, Treaty on Intellectual Property in Respects of Integrated Circuits, Madrid Agreement Concerning the International Registration of Marks, Bern Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works, Universal Copyright Convention, Convention for the Protection of Producers of Phonograms against Unauthorized Duplication of their Phonograms, Patent Cooperation Treaty, Nice Agreement Concerning the International Classification of Goods and Service for the Purposes of the Registration of Marks, Budapest Treaty on the International Recognition of the Deposit of Microorganisms for the Purposes of Patent Procedure, Locarno Agreement Establishing an International Classification for Industrial Design, Strasbourg Agreement Concerning the International Patent Classification, International Convention for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants and WTO¡¯S Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of IPR (See Table 2 for information about China¡¯s accession to international conventions for the protection of IPR).

During the process of its accession to these international conventions, treaties and agreements, China has always been active in taking part in such activities as prescribed by them, and it has won worldwide recognition for its sincere attitude of adhering to these conventions, treaties and agreements as well as its ability to undertake these international responsibilities.

Furthermore, China is also considering acceding to other international treaties. An example is that it has set about to draft and amend relevant laws in order to accede to the WIPO Copyright Treaty (WCT) and the WIPO Performances and Phonograms Treaty (WPPT).

2. China¡¯s Participation in Reforms on International IPR System and in International Negotiations about IPR Issues

Paying close attention to the development of the situation concerning IPR worldwide, China has actively organized its relevant departments to participate in reforms on IPR system and international negotiations about IPR issues, initiated by international organizations such as WTO, WIPO, UPOV, APEC, ASEM, etc. For example, China actively took part in the negotiations about such subjects as public health, geographical indications, genetic resources, traditional knowledge and other IPR issues, which were considered to be important parts of the new round Doha negotiation of WTO and which were presided over by TRIPS Council. China organized its relevant departments to attend many conferences held by WIPO, at which Chinese delegation made important speeches on the progress China had made in its IP system as well as on such hot IP issues in the world as international patent system, genetic resources, traditional knowledge, folklore and so on. These speeches fully showed China¡¯s principles and attitude. China also attends conferences organized by UPOV, APEC or ASEM, at which Chinese delegates actively propaganda the progress Chinese government had made in IP protection, and had beneficial exchange with their counterparts from the rest of the world.

Table 2: List of International Conventions on IPR China Acceded to

¡¡¡¡£¨Source:Department of Treaty and Law of MOFCOM£©