He Rong, vice-president of the Supreme People's Court (SPC), vowed to protect intellectual property rights (IPR) of various kinds in strict accordance with law, resolve IPR disputes with justice and efficiency, and strengthen international judicial cooperation to serve the scientific innovation and the building of China into an IP powerhouse.

She made those remarks via video link while attending a signing ceremony of a cooperation agreement between the Fujian High People's Court and the arbitration and mediation center of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), on Dec 28.

She noted that courts in China have intensified IPR protection over the years and deepened cooperation with international agencies including the WIPO, which has enhanced China's capacity and international influence in this field. 

Noting that the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China reiterated its intention to accelerate the implementation of the innovation-driven development strategy and strengthen legal guarantees for IPR, she said that courts in China will strive to equally protect the legitimate rights and interests of both Chinese and foreign right holders in accordance with law, fulfill their international treaty obligations, and respect international business practices in a bid to foster a world-class business environment that is market-oriented, law-based and internationalized. 

Chinese courts will strive to protect the legitimate rights and interests of invention owners and innovation entities in strict accordance with law, and promote improvement of IPR protection rules in areas such as new energy, big data, artificial intelligence, genes technology, integrated circuits, bio-manufacturing and low carbon industries, she said. They will work to build an IPR judicial protection mechanism that is fair and efficient, scientifically administered and has clear boundaries and comprehensive systems, and they will strengthen international cooperation and participate in global IPR governance under the WIPO framework, encouraging better justice and fairness, she added.