Chinese Patent Law

Numerous non-Chinese entities seek patents in China, and allegations of infringement are not uncommon. In this invaluable guide to Chinese patent law and the rules applicable to infringement challenges, the authors—all members of a leading Chinese law firm with wide experience in advising foreign clients—bring their experience in real-world patent litigation, reinforced with an abundance of relevant case law, in order to introduce the Chinese patent regime in a systematic and practical manner. In their thorough analysis of the scope of protection of patent rights and invalidation procedures, supported throughout by detailed examination of patent infringement lawsuits, the authors clarify such essential elements of Chinese patent law practice as the following: assertion of a claim; choosing the basis of the right to sue; publicity of claims; principle of internal interpretation priority; correction of ambiguity in a claim; interpretation of claims defined by preparation methods; defining the effect of a sequence of steps of a process claim; meaning of “persons of ordinary skill in the art”; concept of “means plus function”; application of the All Elements Rule; determination of functional features; and doctrine of equivalents. Each doctrine and the underlying principle is thoroughly examined with reference to relevant court decisions. With this eminently practical and authoritative guide, corporate counsel and patent lawyers will proceed confidently through the Chinese patent application system, assess risks and opportunities, understand how precedents might affect their case, protect their rights in China once they have a patent, and handle infringement proceedings with full awareness of applicable principles and procedures.

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This is one in a series of country reports on the intellectual property systems of Asia. The authors and editors note the difficulty of obtaining authentic source material, but nevertheless provide as comprehensive a view of China's intellectual property protection as possible.

The rapid evolution of China from an emerging to a mature intellectual property jurisdiction has far-reaching implications for the law, policy and practice of IP, and their links with competition and technology law. Produced in the year China rose to fourth rank globally as user of the international patent system, this volume is an invaluable guide for the policymaker, the analyst and the practitioner alike, setting a thorough exposition of the substantive law and its application within a broader policy context, and offering a comprehensive, timely overview of an IP system just at the time it begins to assume central significance on the world stage. Antony Taubman, Director, IP Division, WTO This edited volume offers an excellent comprehensive overview of China s intellectual property and technology laws. The eminent contributors to this volume have played important roles in shaping China s IP system and in tackling the many challenges confronting it. By making their views of the system readily accessible to an English audience, this volume will undoubtedly add to our understanding of the legal protections and challenges facing innovation industries in China. Mark Wu, Harvard Law School, US The pioneering studies in this book examine the fundamental role of intellectual property and technology laws as China is moving from made in China to created in China . This book also helps us to understand about the interplay between China s intellectual property protection system and the potential for transition of China s economy, and provides numerous means to deal with the legislative difficulties in China s innovation-oriented strategy. Wu Handong, Zhongnan University of Economics and Law, China Written by some of China s leading academic experts and with a foreword by the former Chief Justice of the IP Tribunal of China s Supreme People s Court, this book combines for the very first time a review of both Chinese intellectual property and technology laws in a single volume in English. The book initially focuses on recent amendments to the laws of copyright, trademarks, patents, before moving on to discuss unfair competition and trade secrets, and the protection of intellectual property over electronic networks. Other chapters cover the regulation of digital networks and telecommunications; IT and E-commerce; the new antimonopoly law and competition; and China s position on the TRIPS agreement. Of special note is a chapter written by in-house Counsel and the Chairman of the Quality Brands Protection Committee (a coalition of well known multinational brands) reviewing both brand protection and practical enforcement of intellectual property in China. This book will appeal to scholars and postgraduate students in commercial law (especially in IP, trade, competition, and technology), Chinese studies and business, as well as regulators, international agencies and law firms. Management consultancy and accounting firms, banks and investment firms will also find this book invaluable.

Written in the context of China's new intellectual property laws after WTO entry, this unique law-and-commentary guide examines the legal framework for intellectual property protection and its practical implications in the commercial world. Written for multinationals with operations in China, the book addresses the commercial realities of protecting and managing intellectual property and the practical application of Chinese intellectual property laws to business, e.g., assessing risk liabilities for all parties in the supply chain, from manufacturers to retailers, to marketing firms and importers. Among the overarching topics treated are the following: Trademarks Copyright Patents Enforcement of intellectual property rights Trade secrets Internet Technology transfer Unfair competition With key legislation, cases, and judicial interpretations and cases, China Intellectual Property Law Guide has no peers as a working reference for corporate counsel and the busy IP lawyer alike. This title forms part of the Asia Business Law Series. The Asia Business Law Series is published in cooperation with CCH Asia and provides updated and reliable practical guidelines, legislation and case law, in order to help practitioners, policy makers and scholars understand how business is conducted in the rapidly growing Asian market. This book was originally published by CCH Asia as the loose-leaf China IP Law Guide

Intellectual property law and practice in China has changed dramatically since the first edition of this influential book published in 2005. Today, judicial and administrative application of law plays a major role, and accordingly this entirely rewritten new edition draws on an abundance of court and administrative decisions clarifying how the law is applied. In a thorough and systematic manner, the authors clearly demonstrate the sophisticated level of legal certainty available for domestic and foreign entities doing business in China, including the adaptation of the legal framework to new technologies, broadened scope of protected subject matter, improved quality of filings, and significant enhancement of enforcement not only with regard to remedies but also to procedural aspects. Providing comprehensive coverage of all aspects of intellectual property protection in China – including analysis of IP-related provisions of China’s new Civil Code – the book emphasizes issues of concern to foreign traders and investors such as the following: copyright law and software protection; protection of trademarks, including Chinese character and Roman script trademarks, well-known marks and bad faith applications; technology transfer; enforcement of trade secret and patent protection; criminal liability for infringement; unfair competition and antitrust law; role of the binding interpretations of the Supreme People’s Court; administrative regulations that supplement the laws; co-operation with administrative authorities; protection of geographical indications; protection of trade names; domain name dispute resolution; special patent-related laws protecting such areas as plant varieties, integrated circuit layout designs,; and relevant provisions of the distinct laws of Hong Kong and Macao. Full descriptions of the competencies of China’s IP-related institutions are included with detailed attention to procedural matters. Brief historical notes in each chapter feature the most significant changes in each amendment of law and regulation. Because in China the laws are supplemented and interpreted by numerous guidelines and circulars issued by ministries or courts, the up-to-date knowledge and awareness provided in this new edition is essential for all companies investing in China or considering such investment, as well as for practitioners counselling their clients on strategies. In addition, officials and policymakers involved in trade or other relations with China will benefit from a comprehensive update of what the current law is and a critical view of what the challenges are. “...the 2021 IPLCN is a recommended read for those who seek a well-written English textbook which covers the main principles of Chinese IP Law. Clearly outlined, it is probably one of the best of its kind on the market. Its existence is welcome and necessary in the current era, where languages are still obstacles.” By Tian Lu, Book Review for The IP Kitten, September 2021.

"The book covers every step a company's counsel or patent agent needs to take, from registration of rights to invoking the effective enforcement methods now in place under Chinese law, in order to ensure effective protection of copyright, patents, trademarks, trade names, trade secrets, and licensing arrangements in China. Written by a panel of active Chinese trade authorities - including practicing lawyers and academic specialists - the book shows how to: transfer intellectual property when investing in China; license products and services successfully in China; challenge unfair trade activities successfully via the US International Trade Commission and other non-Chinese authorities; use Chinese media and communications to foster good, undermine piracy, and secure enforcement; use Chinese government administrative authorities to assist in protecting IP rights; combat creative theft of IP rights, especially on the Internet; evaluate the efficacy of a factory raid." -- BACK COVER.