III. Enforcement

1. Special campain

IP administrations across China dramatically intensified the patent enforcement with remarkable growth of settlement of patent cases since the implementation of the Special Campaign. From October to December of 2010, 805 patent cases were settled in total, 44.16% of the yearly amount, among which 458 cases were patent disputes; 347 cases involved counterfeiting patents.

Administrations for Industry and Commerce (AICs) at all levels across China actively implemented the Special Campaign. By January 7, 2011, a total number of 722,350 person times of enforcement officials were dispatched and 1,694,779 business entities as well as 108,213 wholesale and retail markets and fairs were inspected. 1,372 businesses manufacturing or selling counterfeiting commodities were raided.

Ministry of Public Security (MPS) launched the Operation Strike of the Sword in line with the Special Campaign. By the end of 2010, public security departments nationwide uncovered 2,049 cases involving IPR infringements and counterfeits worth 2,307,000,000 yuan.

2. Regular enforcements

In 2010, local IP administrations across the country received a total of 1,095 patent disputes concerning infringement and 18 of other types. 728 cases relating to counterfeiting patents were investigated and dealt with. In those actions, 20,646 person times of enforcement officials were dispatched; 10,642 business premises were inspected.

AICs at all levels across China investigated and dealt with 56,034 cases of trademark violations, among which 7,486 were general violations of trademark, and 48,548 were related to trademark infringement and counterfeiting.

National Copyright Administration of China (NCAC) intensified administrative enforcement by launching special campaign Swordnet to crack down the internet infringement and piracy in 2010. Local copyright enforcement authorities investigated and dealt with 204 cases involving copyright infringement in the first stage of the special campaign.

3. Judicial protection of IPR

In 2010, people's courts nationwide received 42,931 first-instance IPR civil cases and concluded 41,718 ones. People's courts received 6,522 second-instance IPR civil cases and concluded 6,481 ones. In 2010, SPC received 313 IPR civil cases and concluded 317 ones (including those from previous years), among which 198 retrial IPR civil cases were received and 206 ones (including those from previous years) were concluded.

In 2010, the procuratorate agencies nationwide accepted 1,887 arrest approval applications relating to IPR criminal cases with 3,368 suspects involved in. They also approved arrest of 2,613 suspects in 1,566 cases.