The China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) held a roundtable to discuss intellectual property (IP) protection for foreign enterprises on July 4 in Beijing.

CNIPA Commissioner Shen Changyu chaired the meeting, which was attended by representatives from 11 multinational companies, including Nidec, AstraZeneca, Bayer, Boehringer Ingelheim, Phoenix Contact, Merck, Schneider Electric, Ford Motor, Lego, Tesla and Siemens.

Deputy Commissioner Hu Wenhui explained CNIPA's efforts to improve IP protection for foreign companies. Successful cases were highlighted, such as AstraZeneca's patent rulings, which stabilized its market position, and Boehringer Ingelheim's quick resolution of a patent infringement case.

Foreign company representatives praised China's IP protection measures. They also held discussions on improving patent and trademark examination standards, combating trademark squatting, and strengthening online enforcement. They voiced their concerns and received immediate responses from CNIPA.

Shen affirmed CNIPA's commitment to equal IP protection for all companies, promoting a fair competitive environment, and enhancing international cooperation to support a higher level of economic openness.

Data shows that the number of foreign IP applications, grants, and holdings in China has increased rapidly each year. Last year, the number of valid foreign invention patents in China exceeded 900,000, an increase of nearly 5 percent over the previous year. Valid foreign trademark registrations exceeded 2.1 million, up 3.4 percent, reflecting foreign companies' confidence in China's IP protection as well as their strong focus on the Chinese market.