Hangzhou launches its annual Intellectual Property (IP) Publicity Week at the Hangzhou IP Innovation Industrial Park of the Hangzhou Future Sci-Tech City on April 20 to celebrate World Intellectual Property Day, which falls on April 26. [Photo/zj.zjol.com.cn]

Hangzhou launched its annual Intellectual Property (IP) Publicity Week at the Hangzhou IP Innovation Industrial Park of the Hangzhou Future Sci-Tech City on April 20 to celebrate World Intellectual Property Day, which falls on April 26.

During the opening ceremony, the city also launched online public service platforms for IP and for dealing with IP lawsuits and mediation.

In 2019, organizations and individuals in the city submitted 113,562 patent applications, 61,568 of which were approved. These were year-on-year increases of 15.42 percent and 11.17 percent, respectively.

Hangzhou also owned 58,559 effective invention patents that year, ranking first among provincial capitals in China.

The online public service platform for IP protection provides one-stop services for IP innovation entities regarding patent applications, lawsuits and mediation, counseling, trusteeships, and more.

The online platform for dealing with IP lawsuits and mediation was co-developed by the Hangzhou market regulation bureau and the Hangzhou Intermediate People's Court.

Parties involved in IP disputes can use the platform for online resolutions without needing to visit authorities in person.

In addition, the Hangzhou market regulation bureau has also released the 2019 white book on  Hangzhou IP protection, and the Hangzhou Intermediate People's Court released the city's 10 most symbolic IP lawsuit cases of 2019.

Representatives launch Hangzhou's online platform for dealing with IP-related lawsuits and mediation at a ceremony marking the start of Hangzhou’s annual Intellectual Property (IP) Publicity Week at the Hangzhou Future Sci-Tech City on April 26. [Photo/zj.zjol.com.cn]