Celebration of the Thirtieth Anniversary of China's Accession to the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) Held in Beijing

On the morning of October 18, the Celebration of the Thirtieth Anniversary of China's Accession to the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) was held in Beijing. Shen Changyu, Commissioner of the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA), Lisa Jorgenson, Deputy Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), and Christoph Ernst, Vice President of the European Patent Office (EPO), attended the event and delivered speeches. The event was chaired by Lu Pengqi, Deputy Commissioner of the CNIPA.

Shen emphasized that this commemoration is another concrete action reflecting the spirit of President Xi Jinping's congratulatory letter to a commemorative event of China-WIPO cooperation, demonstrating China's deep engagement in global IP governance. The PCT is one of the most important international treaties in the field of IP. Since China's formal accession to the PCT system in 1994, PCT has taken root and thrived in China over the past 30 years, making China become an IP powerhouse in the world and improve the country's IP system, and leading to rapid growth in both overseas patent filings by Chinese applicants and foreign patent filings in China. Additionally, China and the WIPO have carried out a series of fruitful collaborations, contributing Chinese wisdom and solutions. China looks forward to further strengthening its cooperation with the WIPO to foster a fair, just, open, and non-discriminatory global innovation environment and IP ecosystem, enabling innovation to benefit people worldwide and promote shared development.

Jorgenson noted that over the past 30 years, China's IP sector has made remarkable progress. China's international patent applications via the PCT have ranked first in the world for five consecutive years, and more than a quarter of the world's PCT applications have been submitted to the CNIPA, with numerous Chinese applicants ranking among the top PCT filers globally. China is now a patent powerhouse and a model for developing countries. China not only has leveraged the PCT system to drive global technological innovation, but also has made significant contributions to the improvement of the system itself. The WIPO looks forward to deepening cooperation with China to promote development together.

Ernst highlighted that China's accession to the PCT has allowed Chinese innovators to commercialize their technologies more efficiently in global markets, while also providing opportunities for global innovators to share China's rapid development. China's active use and enhancement of the PCT system have further strengthened global technological progress and economic exchanges. The EPO is eager to deepen cooperation with China to improve the global IP governance system, advance technological progress, and contribute to market prosperity, creating a brighter future together.

During the event, representatives from the WIPO and the CNIPA reflected on the 30-year journey of China's integration into and active participation in the PCT system. Representatives from PCT international entities, Chinese local IP authorities, domestic innovators, and patent agencies participated in round-table discussions, exchanging insights on how the PCT system can address the challenges of new technologies in the new era and provide better services to users.(Translated from CNIPA Website Chinese Version)