Distinguished Ambassador Gary Locke, Chief Judge Rader, and Director David Kappos,
Distinguished Vice President SHEN Deyong, and Commissioner TIAN Lipu,
Distinguished Vice President CHEN Jiping and Liu Yang, and President CHEN Yulu,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

Good Morning!

I am glad to attend China-United States Intellectual Property Adjudication Conference sponsored by China Law Society.

China, as world’s largest developing country, and the US, as world’s largest developed country, have common interest in encouraging innovation and protecting intellectual property right. In recent years, trade of products with high added value and intellectual property rights has injected new vitality for the stable development of China-US trade. According to statistics by the US Customs, in 2011, China imported electronic and mechanical products valued at US$43.18 billion from the US, accounting for 41.6% of China’s imports of such products year on year; and imported advanced technological products with value of US$20.13 billion, making up of 19.4% of China’s imports of such products year on year.

The establishment of US legal system for IPR can trace back to 200 years ago. The development of Chinese IPR system started relatively late, but was fast. Since the reform and opening up 30 years ago, especially since 2001 when China accessed to WTO, the construction of China’s IPR legal system has made huge progress, the IPR legislation, enforcement and judicial system gradually improved and public awareness of IPR protection significantly enhanced. The Chinese government also attached great importance to work related to IPR, and put the IPR issue to the high level as a national strategy in 2008. Meanwhile, the construction of an innovative nation has become a new objective for China. From October of 2010 to June of 2011, the State Council launched a special campaign against IPR infringement and manufacture and sales of counterfeiting and shoddy commodities, and explored how to establish a long-term mechanism of IPR protection. In November, 2011, the State Council officially set up a working group headed by Vice Premier Wang Qishan, to organize and coordinate national IPR protection work. The awareness of advocating knowledge, encouraging innovation and protecting IPR is forming nationwide.

With the profound development of economic globalization and the rapid progress of science and technology, IPR protection has become a global issue, and both developed countries and developing ones face the challenge of further increasing IPR protection. Though China and the US belong to different legal system, and have different legal origins, procedures and rules and practices, it won’t hinder the cooperation between the two sides on IPR legislation and judicature. Especially with the development of hi-tech such as information and biology, the two sides have broad cooperation space in coping with new problems and new challenges in this aspect. It is believed that China and the US, through multi-mode cooperation activities, will continuously share and exchange experience, and jointly promote the harmonious and balanced development of international IPR system.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Chinese government has always been positive and open in outward exchange and cooperation on IPR. For China-US IPR issue, China always sticks to conducting dialogue and cooperation, and realizing mutual benefits and win-win results on the basis of equality, respect, reason and openness. Facts prove that the above-said idea on cooperation will benefit both Sides and is conducive to the healthy, long-term and sustainable development of the bilateral relations.

Under the joint efforts of the two sides over the years, the communication and cooperation in IPR field between Chinese and US governments and among industrial circles is developing well. The two sides reinforced understanding and increased consensus through such mechanisms as high-level meetings and visits, strategic and economic dialogues and joint commission on commerce and trade. At the 22nd China-US Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade held in November of 2011, China and the US officially signed the China-US Framework Agreement on IPR Cooperation Projects, which opened a new chapter for China-US cooperation on IPR.

The conference is an important opportunity for the two sides to strengthen communication. The judges, lawyers, scholars and entrepreneurs from the two countries are gathering together here. I believe, through the discussion of macro issues and related topics of IPR judgment, the two sides can get a better understanding of the IPR legal environment, judicial system and judicial practices. We would like to share information and enhance mutual trust and dispel suspicions through dialogues and seminars, so as to better promote the all-round development of the system of IPR creation, protection, management and utilization, and pay unremitting efforts for the healthy and prosperous bilateral trade relations.

Lastly, may the Conference a success!

Thank you!