Chinese patent documentation listed in PCT minimum documentation

2012/07/06

On July 1, Chinese patent documentation was officially incorporated in PCT minimum documentation and became must-research in PCT examination. Thus, China becomes the 11th whose patent documentation was listed in PCT minimum documentation.

In January 2011, Commissioner of the State Intellectual Property Office Tian Lipu proposed to “include Chinese patent documentation into PCT minimum documentation”and was agreed at the PCT Union of the 49th Assemblies of the Member States of WIPO on September 29, 2011.

In nearly one year after the approval of the proposal, patent applications in China continues to surge. As of June 27, 2012, invention patent documentation published by China was about 3,500,000 pieces, having become the important part of global patent documentation resources. Besides, the SIPO’s ability in document processing and information service was gradually enhanced. The fact that Chinese patent documentation officially became PCT minimum documentation will certainly promote the use of Chinese patent system, the implementation of national IPR strategy and national patent development strategy and eventually boost China’s development in science and technology and economy.

(Source: IPR in China)