China’s annual plenary sessions, “Two Sessions,” of the National People’s Congress (NPC) and the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) ended on March 11 and 10 respectively. Under the constitution, the NPC is the highest organ of state power in China, and the CPPCC is intended to be more representative of a broader range of people than is typical of government office. Some intellectual property-related proposals have been submitted by the CPPCC delegates during the week-long Two Sessions.

Qi Chengxi

Vice Chairman of the Tianjin Committee of the CPPCC

Delegate Qi delivers a proposal for increasing filing fees of patents and trademarks to restrict bad faith filings and decreasing their renewal and maintainance fees, with the patent maintainance fee period to be lengthened to 2 or 3 years. Lowering costs and streamlining administrative procedures will motivate enterprises’ innovation and long-time branding.

Xie Shanghua

Member of the National Committee of the CPPCC

Director, Sichuan Intellectual Property Service Promotion Center

Delegate Xie delivers a proposal for the codification of the Basic Law on Intellectual Property. China has had laws and regulations enacted and amended appliable to distinct types of intellectual property such as patent law, trademark law, copyright law, seed law. The introduction of basic law will ensure a well unified and coordinated legal system to address complicated IP issues. Basic law will serve to underpin all the discrete IP laws and regulations.

Xu Niansha

Member of the National Committee of the CPPCC

Delegate Xu delivers a proposal for strengthened protection of the copyright of Non-Fungible Token (NFT). According to Delegate Xu, many vexed issues over NTFs’ ownership, quality standards, and consumer protection need clarifying and addressing.