Pioneering protection allows exhibitors to maintain rights

The Canton Fair is one of pioneering Chinese exhibitions that are promoting greater intellectual property protection. As a key platform to promote China's opening-up and to help companies' expansion in overseas markets, the fair is committed to advancing innovation, protecting IP and serving the high-quality development of foreign trade.

Back in the period spanning from the 1980s to the early 1990s, China's imports and exports witnessed robust annual growth. Yet IP issues emerged in a prominent position in the foreign trade sector, due to weak awareness among many domestic companies at that time.

To guide exhibitors in fostering trademark awareness, the then Ministry of Foreign Trade issued a notice to conduct a trademark check at the 71st Canton Fair in 1992, introducing related laws and regulations to exhibitors. The measures worked, and organizers handled more than 200 infringements on the spot. It was the first IP-targeted raid on the Canton Fair's exhibitions, marking the start of IP protection at the event.

Facing a rise in complaints about IP infringements, the 81st Canton Fair set up a dedicated team staffed with officials from the ministry to deal with violations in 1997. The new team gained popularity among exhibitors and buyers, as it contributed to creating a business-friendly environment.

At the 85th Canton Fair, a complaint reception office was officially inaugurated and organizers also rolled out a policy to address IP complaints, signifying that an IP protection mechanism was taking shape at the fair.

The 91st session of the fair began to apply the principle of shifting the burden of proof to its crackdown on infringements on patents. Based on the practice, the following session of the fair amended its rules on handling suspected IP infringements.

The State Council formulated an action plan for IP protection in 2004, which required promotion of the Canton Fair's experience in this regard. The move caused quite a stir in China's exhibition and conference industry.

The Canton Fair created a new model, leveraging various resources to form a combined force to fight infringements. It invited experts from government agencies and trade arbitration groups to help resolve disputes on the spot, and created a proof and punishment regulation system based on its own characters.