Nice
to see this post on Danwei about IP protection and domestic enterprises. Usually
I can only get my China IP fix by reading IP Dragon or China Law Blog. The more the merrier, or perhaps I should say misery loves company?

In any event, the post in question comments on general IP
protection and the current WTO case, with an emphasis on the suggestion of Mark
Cohen (he is the IP guru at the U.S. Embassy) that China needs to “protect its
own patents.” [By the way, that makes four Jewish American IP guys in Beijing that I know of -
we got enough for a club now.]

Although I agree with the post overall that Cohen’s comment,
and the domestic program cited later on that provides support to local
companies filing patents, is all good, I do feel the need to elaborate a bit. Cohen
was not just making this stuff up as he goes along, and actually they kinda
frown on that in government circles. No, the idea that local protection of IP
is an important thing has been an official policy of the Chinese government for
some time.

There have been quite a few government programs, at
different levels, designed to promote IP registration by domestic companies.
Some have included subsidies for filing patents abroad as well. My dim recollection
is that these kinds of programs have been around for at least six years or so
in one form or another. If they are being ramped up now with additional
funding, that’s great.

Now, I am not trying to rain on Cohen’s parade. Note that I
will be attending an AmCham thing next Tuesday where he will be speaking. I
don’t want to get tossed out of there by some sort of paramilitary IP bodyguard
force (you’ve never heard of them, but who knows? they might exist). Cohen’s
comments are on target and would definitely be treated quite kindly by the
Chinese government, seeing as how they support very nicely China’s overall economic
development ideas and the role that IP protection plays.

I hope I have not offended the IP gods, and they allow me to
attend next Tuesday’s function so I can hear from Cohen and the other speakers.
Great topic, by the way: “Best
Practices in Running a Low-cost IPR Protection Program.” You don’t see
practical stuff like that every day.

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