Focus on Shanghai International Intellectual Property Forum

Launched in 2003 and having run successfully for 16 years, the Shanghai International Intellectual Property Forum is a preeminent  international conference on intellectual property that is held annually in the mighty East China metropolis, according to SIIPF officials.

In 2014 and 2018, the Shanghai municipal government and the World Intellectual Property Organization – or WIPO – signed the key Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in the Field of Intellectual Property and the Supplementary Agreement to the MOU, respectively.

They proposed "an innovative cooperation model to co-host the Shanghai International Intellectual Property Forum, in order to expand the Forum's international influence".

In May 2019, the China National Intellectual Property Administration, or CNIPA and the Shanghai municipal government convened the 2019-2020 IP Cooperation and Consultation Conference and signed the Key Points for IP Cooperation and Consultation 2019-2020.

This clearly supported Shanghai hosting high-level international forums in the IP field.

As a high-level international IP forum – co-hosted by an international organization, a state ministry and a local government – WIPO, CNIPA and the Shanghai government all attach great importance to the annual event, officials said.

This has been demonstrated by leaders from the three hosts attending the forum and making important speeches multiple times.

At present, the event has become China's heavy-weight international IP forum and an important platform for China to communicate its IP position to the outside world.

Aiming to further implement the National Strategic Outline for Building a Strong IP Country – as well as to deepen international cooperation and exchanges in IP – the 17th SIIPF is scheduled to be held in October, 2020 in Shanghai.

The event will have as its theme "Promoting High-Quality Economic Development in Post-Pandemic Era and Building Shanghai into an International Forefront of IP Protection".

This year, the forum will be hosted again by CNIPA, WIPO and the Shanghai government. Officials said the event will draw lessons from advanced IP protection practice and governance from home and abroad.

It will explore ways to accelerate the post novel coronavirus pandemic economic recovery and general high-quality development, by leveraging intellectual property. It will also contribute insights and advice on  the all-out efforts being made by Shanghai to catapult itself to the forefront of IP protection on the international stage, as well as to become an Asian-Pacific IP hub and a progressive socialist metropolis.

This year's forum is expected to be attended by 300 people. It has invited leaders of preeminent international and regional IP organizations and speakers from IP authorities and research institutions in a number of  countries.

It will also facilitate in-depth discussions between representatives of government organs, companies, research institutions and service agencies.