This Day, That Year

Editor’s Note: This year marks the 40th anniversary of China’s reform and opening-up policy.

As its doors open to increased international trade, China has been placing more importance on intellectual property rights.

The country joined the World Intellectual Property Office in 1980. In 1994, it joined the Patent Cooperation Treaty. On April 1, 1985, the country’s first Patent Law took effect when people in Beijing lined up in the capital’s patent office to apply for patents as seen in the item from April 2, 1985, in China Daily (photo at right).

China has amended its Patent Law three times — in 1992, 2000 and 2009.

Patent awards are trending sharply upward, with a rapid transition from low to high technology.

China has been the world leader in patent applications for seven consecutive years, according to the State Intel- lectual Property Office.

Chinese people held about 1.36 million patents for inventions as of the end of last year, the office said.

The nation’s growing participation in global innovation has been marked by surging international collaboration with a wide variety of partners.

China established a comprehensive strategic partnership with the European Patent Office and signed 52 bilateral and multilateral agreements last year.

To strengthen the protection of intellectual property rights, authorities are restructuring the IP office under the State institutional reform plan of the State Council, which was released last month.