China's main trade fair tightens IP rights protection

GUANGZHOU, China, April 13 Kyodo

China's main trade fair is boosting intellectual property rights protection at its upcoming session and introducing an import section for the first time in 50 years, organizer Xu Bing said Friday.

Xu, deputy secretary of the biannual Chinese Import and Export Commodities Fair, better known as the Canton Fair, told reporters in a pre-opening press session that regulations governing IPR protection have been further clarified since the previous session in October last year.

The new action comes amid renewed calls from the United States for China to crack down on intellectual property violations.

The new amendments state that any exhibitor found to have infringed on any designs or brands will be banned from participating in the next four events. Those convicted for violating intellectual property rights will be banned from participating in the next six events, the toughest penalty.

''We will also focus on inspecting blacklisted categories of products and brand names that are counterfeited most, including small electronic appliances, metal products, sports products and stationery,'' Xu said.

He noted that complaints in recent fairs involved around 4 percent of total products exhibited.

The fair set up an investigation unit in 1998 to handle complaints of intellectual property infringements.

The next session, opening Sunday, will be the first to have an import section since the fair was established in 1957. Premier Wen Jiabao has decided to include the import section in view of China's mounting trade surplus in recent years, according to Xu.

''The fair's future development will still be focusing on exports, but we will also put great effort in promoting imports, making the fair the biggest channel for foreign products to enter China's market,'' Xu said.

In the import section, there are 314 exhibitors from 36 countries showcasing their products.

Vice Commerce Minister Gao Hucheng has said his ministry invited more than 6,000 domestic buyers to attend.

In the export section, there are 14,430 exhibitors participating, 429 more than in the last fair, which drew 190,000 buyers from around the world and saw $34 billion in deals transacted.

The expo will run through April 30.

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