Wang Jingchuan, director of China's State Intellectual Property
Office (SIPO),
and Antonio Marzano, minister of Production Activities of Italy,
signed in Beijing Tuesday an agreement of cooperation on
intellectual property.
The inter-governmental agreement is expected to promote exchange
and cooperation between the two countries in trade and economic,
scientific and technological and cultural fields.
The two sides agreed to exchange information on intellectual
property laws and industrial patents.
The two sides also agreed to further discuss procedure
standardization of patent application examination.
In addition, the two sides will exchange information on the
implementation of multilateral conventions related to intellectual
property as well as efforts to deal with intellectual property
infringement in their respective countries.
As they expand their trade and economic relations, China and
Italy need to cooperate with each other in intellectual property
protection, said Wang.
Wang said he hopes the two sides will carry out deeper and more
extensive exchange and cooperation in intellectual property.
Since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two
countries on Nov. 6, 1970, China and Italy have signed many
cooperative agreements in order to solidify trade and economic
relations.
In 2003, the two countries witnessed a record high bilateral
trade volume of US$11.73 billion.
From January to April 2004, the bilateral trade volume reached
US$4.54 billion, 22 percent more than that in the same period last
year. Italy has become China's fifth largest trading partner among
European nations.
(Xinhua News Agency June 9, 2004)