The Shanghai Intellectual Property Administration, in collaboration with the Shanghai Foreign Investment Association, held a roundtable on Dec 2 to strengthen intellectual property protection for foreign-invested enterprises.

Deputy Director Yu Chen and Association President Huang Feng underscored the city's commitment to safeguarding the interests of foreign-funded businesses.

Yu emphasized the need for stricter enforcement against online infringement, deeper cooperation across the Yangtze River Delta, and targeted measures — including the city's key trademark protection list — to curb malicious trademark registrations and ensure stronger, more predictable protection for foreign-invested companies.

SIPA will further expand the administrative adjudication of patent disputes at both city and district levels, enhance patent enforcement, and advance diversified dispute-resolution mechanisms that provide rapid patent pre-examination, fast confirmation of rights, and accelerated enforcement services tailored to foreign-invested firms.

The association announced plans to establish an IP working committee aimed at integrating resources, strengthening assistance stations, and improving communication channels to help foreign investors navigate IP challenges more efficiently.

Participants exchanged views on issues frequently faced by foreign-funded companies, including trademark infringement on livestreaming platforms, malicious trademark registrations, administrative patent rulings, cross-regional criminal cooperation on IP, and the sale of refurbished goods.

Officials from the Shanghai Municipal Administration for Market Regulation, the Third Branch of the Shanghai People's Procuratorate and the Shanghai IP Protection Center, and representatives from foreign-invested enterprises attended the meeting to reinforce coordinated IP protection.

Source: Shanghai Intellectual Property Administration