Celebration of the 30th Anniversary of China's Accession to the PCT held in Beijing
On 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 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 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. 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 WIPO and 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.(by Sun Di)
Achievements of the 30 years of China's Accession to the PCT
In 2024, China celebrates the thirtieth anniversary of accession to the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT).
Over the past three decades, China has aligned its domestic legal framework with PCT international standards, continuously refining it. In 1993, China submitted its accession document to the PCT, and on January 1, 1994, the Provisions on the Implementation of PCT in China took effect. To better integrate with the PCT system, China's Patent Law and its Implementation Regulations have been undergone multiple revisions, providing broader, stronger legal protection for both domestic and foreign innovators.
China's PCT examination capabilities have significantly advanced over these 30 years. The CNIPA has established a three-tier quality assurance system at the administration, department, and division levels, based on a PDCA (Plan-Do-Check-Act) quality management cycle to maintain examination quality. Furthermore, the CNIPA submits an annual PCT quality report to the WIPO, has a dedicated patent examination evaluation platform, and commissions third-party surveys on user satisfaction with PCT services, with user satisfaction consistently reaching new highs.
Strengthening the PCT examiner team has been key to ensuring quality and efficiency. The number of PCT examiners at the CNIPA has steadily risen, reaching 4,944 in 2023. These international and inter-disciplinary examiners, who pass advanced search proficiency and PCT certification tests, possess multilingual skills, forming the backbone of China's PCT examination team.
China has played an active role in global IP governance within WIPO's framework, steadily expanding international cooperation and opening new chapters in PCT development.
Since China's patent documents were included in the PCT minimum documentation in July 2012, the CNIPA has signed a memorandum of understanding with the WIPO in 2021 and adopted the RMB as the pricing and settlement currency for PCT-related international fees. In 2023, the CNIPA pioneered the full digital examination and processing of PCT international-stage documents, advancing reforms in the PCT international publication system. All of these show that China contributes its wisdom and strength to the development of the PCT system.
During this period, the CNIPA has strengthened PCT cooperation, establishing Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) partnerships with 33 countries or regions. Of these, more than 20 include expedited national-stage examination based on PCT international-stage results (PCT-PPH). Additionally, the CNIPA has become the International Searching Authority and International Preliminary Examining Authority for PCT applications of 12 countries, including India and Saudi Arabia, supporting patent protection for applicants from these countries.(Written by Zhang Binbin)
近日，中国加入专利合作条约（PCT）三十周年纪念活动在京举办。中国国家知识产权局局长申长雨，世界知识产权组织（WIPO）副总干事丽萨·乔根森，欧洲专利局（EPO）副局长克里斯托弗·恩斯特出席活动并致辞。中国国家知识产权局副局长卢鹏起主持活动。
申长雨表示，此次纪念活动是深入学习贯彻习近平主席致中国与WIPO合作五十周年纪念活动贺信精神，深度参与知识产权全球治理的又一具体行动。PCT是知识产权领域最重要的国际条约之一，自1994年中国正式加入PCT体系以来，30年间，PCT在中国落地生根、不断发展，推动中国成为世界知识产权大国，促进中国知识产权制度不断完善，中国申请人通过 PCT体系进行海外专利布局和国外申请人在华申请专利均保持较快增长。同时，中国与WIPO开展了一系列卓有成效的合作，不断贡献中国智慧、中国方案。中方愿进一步深化与WIPO的合作，共同打造公平、公正、开放、非歧视的全球创新环境和知识产权生态系统，让创新创造更好造福各国人民，促进共同发展。
丽萨·乔根森表示，30年来，中国知识产权事业取得了令人赞叹的进步，来自中国的申请量连续5年位居PCT申请量榜首，中国国家知识产权局受理的PCT申请超过全球总量的1/4，涌现出一批PCT申请量名列前茅的中国申请人。中国已经是名副其实的专利大国，成为发展中国家的典范。中国不仅依托PCT体系有力推动全球科技创新，也为完善PCT体系作出了巨大贡献。同时，WIPO期待与中方进一步深化合作，共同推动发展。
克里斯托弗·恩斯特表示，中国加入PCT，让中国创新主体得以在全球市场更高效地实现产业化，也为各国创新主体提供了共享中国快速发展的机遇。中国对PCT体系的使用和完善，进一步促进了全球科技进步和经贸往来。EPO愿与中方进一步深化合作，合力完善全球知识产权治理体系，共同推动技术进步和市场繁荣，携手创造更加美好的未来。
活动中，WIPO和中国国家知识产权局代表回顾了三十年来中国与PCT体系深度接轨并积极参与PCT体系完善的历程。与会各国PCT国际单位、中国地方知识产权管理部门和国内创新主体、专利代理机构代表在圆桌讨论中，围绕PCT体系应对新时代新技术挑战及为用户提供更好服务进行了深入交流。（孙迪）
中国加入《专利合作条约》三十年成就简述
2024年，中国迎来加入《专利合作条约》（PCT）的三十周年。
30年间，中国对标PCT国际规则，不断完善国内法律制度。1993年，中国递交了中国加入PCT的加入书；1994年1月1日，《关于中国实施专利合作条约的规定》生效。30年间，为了更好适应PCT体系，中国专利法、专利法实施细则历经多次修改，为国内外创新主体提供更加全面、有力的法律保障。
30年间，中国PCT审查能力得到巨大提升。目前，中国国家知识产权局已建立起局级、部级和处级三级质量保障机构的专利审查质量保障体系，并基于计划—实施—监督评级—持续改进的PDCA质量管理循环模式保障审查质量。此外，中国国家知识产权局每年向WIPO提供PCT年度质量报告，专门设立专利审查评议平台，并委托第三方独立开展专利审查质量用户满意度调查，用户对中国国家知识产权局提供PCT服务的质量满意度屡创新高。
加强PCT审查员队伍建设是保障中国PCT审查质量和效率的重要举措。近年来，中国国家知识产权局PCT审查员人数稳步上升，2023年PCT审查员人数达到4944人。一批批通过检索能力高级水平测试和PCT资格认证考试，具备多语种工作能力的国际型、复合型人才构成了中国PCT审查体系的中坚力量。
30年间，中国深度参与WIPO框架下的全球知识产权治理，持续深化国际合作，PCT发展迎来新的篇章。
从2012年7月中国专利文献正式纳入PCT最低限度文献，到2021年中国国家知识产权局与WIPO签订谅解备忘录，并正式使用人民币作为PCT相关国际费用的定价和结算货币，进入2023年，中国国家知识产权局率先实现了PCT国际阶段全流程代码化文本审查和处理，推动了PCT国际公布机制的改革……在PCT发展的坐标上，中国持续为PCT体系建设贡献智慧与力量。
在此期间，中国国家知识产权局也不断加强与各方在PCT领域的合作，先后与33个国家或地区的专利审查机构建立了专利审查高速路（PPH）合作，其中包括与20多个国家或地区相关机构开展了基于PCT国际阶段工作结果的国家阶段加快审查（PCT-PPH）。不仅如此，中国国家知识产权局还成为印度、沙特等12个国家的PCT专利申请国际检索单位和国际初步审查单位，为相关国家申请人保护专利提供了支持。（本报记者 张彬彬）
（文章来源：中国知识产权报）
（编辑：晏如 责任编辑：吕可珂 审校：冯飞）
（中国知识产权报独家稿件，未经授权不得转载）
