The Eighth Circuit Court of the Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences of the State Intellectual Property Office was launched in Fujian on June 1. Patent disputes can be heard in local areas.

The Patent Reexamination Board (PRB) in China is the only legal body to hear patent invalidation litigations and declare patents valid or invalid. As the PRB is located in Beijing, applicants found it laborious and costly to file applications.

With the development of intellectual property in Fujian, patent disputes are increasing simultaneously. The circuit court newly located in Fuzhou is the eight one subsequent to those in Guangdong, Jiangsu, Shandong, Sichuan, Liaoning and Hunan provinces. The PRB will send experts to each province to solve patent disputes.

Source:IPR in China