World Intellectual Property Organization Director Francis Gurry and State Intellectual Property Office Commissioner Tian Lipu at the forum. Yang Shen / China Daily

Officials brief peers as China-ASEAN Free Trade Area gets down to business

Strengthened cooperation between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on intellectual property is crucial to an investment-friendly environment, a senior governmental official told a meeting of high-ranking representatives from across the region.

Tian Lipu, commissioner of the State Intellectual Property Office (SIPO), made the comments at a China-ASEAN intellectual property conference in Beijing last Tuesday.

The conference discussed ways to implement a 2009 agreement and "provides a platform to increase communication in intellectual property systems in participating countries", according to Tian.

More than 40 officials from 10 ASEAN member nations briefed the forum on intellectual property developments in their nations and exchanged insights on regional cooperation.

"With their close proximity and cultural ties, China and ASEAN share broad common interests," Tian said.