China makes headway in unifying standards for technology-related IP cases

Source: Xinhua | 2020-04-19

The Intellectual Property (IP) Court of the Supreme People's Court, or China's top court, has made headway in promoting the unification of judicial standards for technology-related IP cases through its work in 2019, according to an annual report of the IP court.

"Unifying the standards for adjudicating patent and other technology-related IP cases is the primary goal of the IP Court," read the report.

Officially unveiled on Jan. 1, 2019, as the first specialized IP court at the highest court level worldwide, the IP Court last year accepted a total of 1,945 technology-related IP cases and concluded 1,433 cases, with a closing rate of 73.7 percent.

A number of model judgments that have a typical exemplary effect were made by the court, and the "systematization project to unify judicial standards" has been implemented, further promoting the unification of judicial standards for technology-related IP cases, said the report.

The IP Court exercises final instance judicial function by hearing appeals on patents, monopolies and other technology-related IP cases from across China. It also undertakes the mission to further unify judicial standards for technology-related IP cases.

Speaking of the characteristics of the cases tried by the IP Court in 2019, the report noted that the cases involve a wide range of technologies, the trial period is short and that the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese and foreign parties are equally protected.