The year 2020 was an extraordinary year for the Shanghai Intellectual Property Administration, or SIPA. In the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, the administration still remained focused on the goal of building an international IP highland and actively promoted international cooperation and exchanges of IP under strict epidemic prevention and control measures, which achieved fruitful results.

Let's review the highlights of SIPA's foreign affairs events in 2020.

I. The 17th Shanghai International Intellectual Property Forum opens

[Photo provided to ensipa.cn]

The 17th Shanghai International Intellectual Property (IP) Forum opened in Shanghai on Oct 20, 2020 with the aim of "promoting high-quality economic development in the post-pandemic era and building Shanghai into an international forefront of IP protection".

[Photo provided to ensipa.cn]

Shen Changyu, commissioner of the China National Intellectual Property Administration, or CNIPA, attended and addressed the opening ceremony.

[Photo provided to ensipa.cn]

[Photo provided to ensipa.cn]

Gong Zheng, mayor of the Shanghai Municipal People's Government and Daren Tang, director general of the World Intellectual Property Organization, or WIPO, delivered speeches by video link.

[Photo provided to ensipa.cn]

During the opening ceremony of the forum Shen Changyu and Chen Qun, the vice-mayor of Shanghai, unveiled the foundation plaque of the newly launched Shanghai International IP Hub Port.

[Photo provided to ensipa.cn]

Yu Lijuan, then deputy secretary general of the Shanghai Municipal People's Government, presided over the opening ceremony.

[Photo provided to ensipa.cn]

Rui Wenbiao, the director general of SIPA, delivered a keynote speech entitled "Making Shanghai an International Intellectual Property Protection Highland" during the event.

II. WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Shanghai Service opens

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It was formally announced that the WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Shanghai Service (WIPO Shanghai Service) officially started operations on Oct 20, 2020, during the opening ceremony of the 17th Shanghai International Intellectual Property Forum. Lu Weidong, director of the Shanghai Municipal Bureau of Justice, attended the event and introduced the facility.

The establishment of the WIPO Shanghai Service is of great practical significance for Shanghai to improve the multiple resolution mechanism of IP disputes, enhance the internationalization of commercial dispute arbitration and for the city to create a first-class international legal business environment.

III. Seven units win second WIPO-SMPG Shanghai IP Innovation Awards

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The winners of the second WIPO-SMPG Shanghai IP Innovation Awards, co-founded by WIPO and the Shanghai Municipal People's Government (SMPG), were announced on Oct 20, 2020. Seven, including Shanghai Micro Electronics Equipment (Group) Co Ltd, received honors in the three categories of creation, protection and applications.

At the opening ceremony of the 17th Shanghai International Intellectual Property Forum, Shen Changyu, commissioner of CNIPA and Chen Qun, vice-mayor of Shanghai, jointly presented the awards to the winners. Daren Tang, director general of WIPO, delivered a congratulatory speech via video.

[Photo provided to ensipa.cn]