WIPO China: Promoting International Rule of Law for Economic Recovery

September 22, 2023

The 2023 Global Business and Law Conference, held in Beijing on September 22-23, featured a keynote address by Ms. Wang Binying, Deputy Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), during the Opening Ceremony. Organized by the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT), the event centered around the theme Global Economic Recovery and International Rule of Law Guarantee.

In her keynote speech, Ms. Wang emphasized the transformative impact of frontier technologies on production and lifestyles, and the opportunities and challenges they bring to us. She underscored the crucial connection between economic development and the rule of law, stressing the need for relevant international regulations in intellectual property and trade to meet the evolving changes.

WIPO, as the specialized agency of the United Nations for intellectual property protection, administers 26 treaties and actively contributes to the establishment of global norms. Importantly, WIPO has scheduled two diplomatic conferences to conclude by the end of 2024. The first, the Design Law Treaty (DLT), aims to streamline global design protection, while the second, the Draft International Legal Instrument Relating to IP, Genetic Resources, and Traditional Knowledge Associated with Genetic Resources, seeks to harmonize national systems and support indigenous communities, ensuring legal certainty for businesses.

In response to the evolving challenges and opportunities in the intellectual property landscape, WIPO is organizing a series of Global Conversations on IP and Frontier Technologies. The recent Eighth session explored generative AI and its impact on copyright systems, attracting significant attention.

Ms. Wang acknowledged the 50th anniversary of WIPO's collaboration with China and commended China's progress in intellectual property and innovation, solidifying its position as a global innovation leader. She expressed WIPO's commitment to collaborating with Member States in bridging nations and stakeholders, promoting global economic recovery, and upholding international rules and laws.

The conference featured prominent figures, including Mr. Cai Dafeng, Vice Chairman of the 14th National People's Congress Standing Committee of China; H.E. Jean Chrétien, Former Canadian Prime Minister; Mr. Zhang Xiangchen, Deputy Director General of the World Trade Organization (WTO); Dr. Shoichi Okuyama, President of the International Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property; and Mr. Marcelo Vazquez-Bermudez, First Vice-Chairman of the International Law Commission of the United Nations (ILC).

The event brought together more than 500 representatives from international organizations such as WIPO, the World Trade Organization, and the United Nations International Law Commission, as well as government departments, the business community, the legal profession, and business associations from over 30 countries, including China, Canada, Germany, Singapore, and the United States.