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China and Multilateral IP Governance

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China in Global Governance of Intellectual Property

Part of the book series: Palgrave Socio-Legal Studies ((PSLS))

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Abstract

This chapter focuses on China’s multilateral intellectual property engagement, and WIPO and WTO are the key forums of this analysis. The case of China’s engagement with WIPO demonstrates various dimensions of reciprocity. In China’s engagement with the WTO, it analyses China’s early attempt at agenda-setting in its first and only proposal on IP in standardisation and China’s position and involvement in the recent COVID-19-related IP waiver negotiations at the TRIPS Council. China’s multilateral IP engagement reveals that it has taken the strategy of multi-forum engagement in navigating international IP regime complexity.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    WIPO, Beijing Treaty on Audiovisual Performances, Adopted by the Diplomatic Conference on the Protection of Audiovisual Performances in Beijing, 24 June 2012.

  2. 2.

    For instance, the European Economic Community (EEC) promulgated the Council Directive 92/100/EEC of 19 November 1992 on Rental Right and Lending Right and on Certain Rights Related to Copyright in the Field of Intellectual Property.

  3. 3.

    WIPO, Intellectual Property Technical Assistance Database (IP-TAD), available from: https://www.wipo.int/tad/en/index.jsp (Accessed 5 July 2022).

  4. 4.

    WTO, China: Measures Affecting the Protection and Enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights, WT/DS362.

  5. 5.

    China was one of the co-sponsors for the GATT proposal MTN.GNG/NG11/W/71, 14 May 1990, which represented the developing countries’ positions in the TRIPS negotiations.

  6. 6.

    This ‘10 + 10’ group was not a negotiating group, but a consultation group in the late phase of the TRIPS negotiations. It initially included 10 developed countries and 10 developing countries, but in practice, the group was open to any interested delegation. In the end, it included 14 developing countries (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, China, Colombia, Cuba, Egypt, India, Nigeria, Peru, Tanzania, Uruguay, Pakistan, and Zimbabwe).

  7. 7.

    Trade Negotiations Committee of Uruguay Round, Draft Final Act Embodying the Results of the Uruguay Round of Multilateral Trade Negotiations, 20 December 1991, MTN.TNC/W/FA. The text of the TRIPS Agreement made two minor changes based on this Draft Final Act (1991): 1) the addition to Article 64 of paragraphs 2 and 3 on non-violation disputes and 2) the addition of the language in Article 31(c) in regard to semiconductor technology.

  8. 8.

    These specifically included US–China Memorandum of Understanding on the Protection of Intellectual Property (1992), 17 January 1992; China–United States Agreement Regarding Intellectual Property Rights Memorandum of Understanding (1995), 26 February 1995; and China Implementation of the 1995 Intellectual Property Rights Agreement (1996), 17 June 1996.

  9. 9.

    WTO TBT Committee, Intellectual Property Right (IPR) Issues in Standardization, Communication from the People’s Republic of China 25 May 2005, G/TBT/W/251.

  10. 10.

    The other seven issues submitted for the fourth triennial review were: 1) implementation and administration of the agreement (proposed by the US), 2) good regulatory practice (proposed by the EC and US), 3) transparency (proposed by China and the EC), 4) conformity assessment procedures (proposed by the EC and the United States), 5) technical assistance (proposed by China and the EC), 6) special and differential treatment (proposed by China), and 7) labelling (proposed by the EC). See WTO TBT Committee, Minutes of the Meeting of 22–23 March 2005, G/TBT/M/35, 24 May 2005, Paras 74–76.

  11. 11.

    Ibid., Para. 74.

  12. 12.

    Ibid., Para. 78.

  13. 13.

    WTO TBT Committee, Intellectual Property Right (IPR) Issues in Standardization, Communication from the People’s Republic of China 25 May 2005, G/TBT/W/251.

  14. 14.

    WTO TBT Committee, Minutes of the Meeting of 2 November 2005, G/TBT/M/37, Para. 120.

  15. 15.

    WTO TBT Committee, Minutes of the Meeting of 4 August 2005, G/TBT/M/36, Paras 102–104.

  16. 16.

    These cases include DS589: China—Measures Concerning the Importation of Canola Seed from Canada; DS598: China—Anti-Dumping and Countervailing Duty Measures on Barley from Australia; DS602: China—Anti-Dumping and Countervailing Duty Measures on Wine from Australia; DS610: China—Alleged Chinese Restrictions on the Import and Export of Goods, and the Supply of Services, to and from Lithuania; and DS611: China—Enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights. These are only some of the continuing WTO disputes with China as respondent (updated on 11 July 2022.).

  17. 17.

    WTO TRIPS Council, Waiver from Certain Provisions of the TRIPS Agreement for the Prevention, Containment, and Treatment of COVID-19, Communication from India and South Africa, 2 October 2020, IP/C/W/669.

  18. 18.

    WTO TRIPS Council, Draft General Council Declaration on the TRIPS Agreement and Public Health in the Circumstances of a Pandemic, Communication from the European Union to the Council for TRIPS, 18 June 2021, IP/C/W/681.

  19. 19.

    USTR, Statement from Ambassador Katherine Tai on the COVID-19 TRIPS Waiver, 5 May 2021, available from https://ustr.gov/about-us/policy-offices/press-office/press-releases/2021/may/statement-ambassador-katherine-tai-COVID-19-trips-waiver.

  20. 20.

    WTO TRIPS Council, Communication from the Chairperson, 3 May 2022, IP/C/W/688.

  21. 21.

    MOFCOM, Statement by H.E. Ambassador Li Chenggang at Informal Meeting of TRIPS Council, Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China, 6 May 2022, available from http://wto.mofcom.gov.cn/article/newsupdates/202205/20220503310786.shtml.

  22. 22.

    WTO TRIPS Council. Minutes of Meeting: Held in the Centre William Rappard on 15–16 October and 10 December 2020, 16 February 2021, IP/C/M/96/Add.1, para. 977.

  23. 23.

    Ibid., para. 976.

  24. 24.

    Ibid., para. 89.

  25. 25.

    ‘Statement by H.E. Ambassador Li Chenggang at Informal Meeting of TRIPS Council’.

  26. 26.

    WTO, COVID-19: Measures Affecting Trade in Goods as of May 30, 2022, available from: https://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/covid19_e/trade_related_goods_measure_e.htm.

  27. 27.

    These measures were replaced with Measures for Compulsory Licence of Patent Implementation, Promulgated by Order No. 64 of SIPO, 15 March 2012.

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  1. College of Law, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia

    Wenting Cheng

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Cheng, W. (2023). China and Multilateral IP Governance. In: China in Global Governance of Intellectual Property. Palgrave Socio-Legal Studies. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-24370-7_6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-24370-7_6

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