Patent Office, China Deepen Cooperation

The U.S. Patent & Trademark Office (PTO) and the Jiangsu Provincial People’s Government in the People’s Republic of China have formally agreed to cooperate on a variety of intellectual property protection issues. The memorandum of understanding marks the first time the patent office has entered into an agreement with a provincial government. “The purpose is to establish a general framework for future cooperation,” says Undersecretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and PTO Director David Kappos. “The activities contemplated under the agreement are aimed at improving enforcement and collaboration on intellectual property matters through exchanges of information, capacity building, and other educational activities.” The agreement is part of a larger effort by the patent office to establish closer ties between the U.S. and the Chinese governments on intellectual property rights.