More efforts are needed to deepen awareness of technology
innovation and patent protection among industrial and academic
sectors to help them beat off foreign competition after China joins
the World Trade Organization (WTO).
Although the country has made significant progress in patent
protection since it implemented the Patent Law in 1985, some
companies and research institutes still desist in making patent
applications.
Yuan De, director with the patent examination division under the State Intellectual
Property Office (SIPO), said: "Meeting requirements of
intellectual property rights within WTO are crucial to China.
"To escort domestic enterprises into the heat of global
competition, we must help them know how to combine intellectual
property rights protection with technology development.''
The Switzerland-based Lausanne Institute of Management and
Development -- which publishes the world rankings for scientific
development each year -- has listed the amount of patent holding as
a criterion to test a nation's technological innovation.
Intensifying competition among enterprises and research institutes
is the key to get them to treasure intellectual property rights,
which have been regarded as an intangible asset by many firms in
developed countries, said Yuan.
Companies in better developed eastern areas, such as Shanghai
Municipality and Guangdong Province, are performing well in putting
new technologies under the patent system umbrella.
Yet the driving force of market competition plays little role in
industrial firms of the military and large State-owned academic
institutions, said Yuan.
Researchers in these sectors -- which enjoyed governmental funds
under the planned economy -- just rely on publishing theses. They
care little about commercializing technological discoveries.
"We must encourage them to develop patented technology in parallel
with a more marked awareness of market competition. Regional
intellectual property administrations will be mobilized to offer
corresponding training programmes regularly among these sectors,''
he said.
China's legislation on intellectual property rights has met the
standards set in the WTO and the most important thing now is
enforcement, said Yang Guochang, an official with the Ministry of
Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation.
Regional governments have realized that counterfeiting will damage
the image and interests of local industries. Only patented products
can sustain the development of regional economy, said Yang, who has
completed inspections for patent and trademark protection in
companies in eastern and western areas.
(China
Daily October 30,2001)