Dingduan News:

In recent years, merchandise from games and movies such as "Black Myth: Wukong" and "Nezha 2," and cultural and creative products represented by Labubu, have been gaining popularity among global consumers. At the same time, some counterfeit and infringing products have also appeared. How has customs strengthened the protection of intellectual property rights (IPR)? Thank you.

Sun Meijun:

Thank you for your question. I would like to invite Mr. Wang to answer this question.

Wang Jun:

Your question is regarding a topic that has received a lot of attention. As we all know, innovation is the primary driving force behind development and protecting IPR is equal to protecting innovation, and customs' protection of IPR is protecting innovation in the field of opening up. Just now, Ms. Sun mentioned that the "innovation content" of China's exports has become more substantial, which is closely related to customs' role in safeguarding innovation and creativity at entry and exit ports. During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, focusing on IPR protection, customs has mainly carried out the following work:

First, we have cracked down hard on counterfeit products. We focused on areas with frequent infringements, continuously carried out special actions such as the "Longteng Action" for IPR protection, the "Blue Net Action" for postal and express delivery channels, and the "Clean Net Action" for transshipment goods. These special actions have maintained a high-pressure stance against infringements. Cumulatively, 260,000 batches of suspected infringing goods, involving nearly 400 million items, have been seized, effectively curbing the momentum of infringement in the import and export process.

Second, we have offered efficient service. Through enterprise assistance service measures, such as policy outreach by customs chiefs and dedicated enterprise coordinators, we accurately matched the needs of rights holders. By leveraging information technology, rights holders can now handle record filing and apply for confirmation without leaving their homes, greatly enhancing the convenience of rights protection. During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, registrations by new rights holders reached nearly 20,000, and intellectual property records reached almost 100,000, with more and more rights holders benefiting from customs IPR protection.

Third, we have carried out collaborative governance. We have strengthened cooperation with relevant domestic departments, achieving effective coordination between administrative protection and criminal justice. We have deeply engaged in global IPR governance and cooperated with customs from the EU, Russia and other countries. By actively participating in international joint law enforcement actions, we have continuously improved the effectiveness of law enforcement with regard to IPR protection.

Here, I would like to particularly emphasize that the IPR protection by Chinese customs not only serves the cause of building a strong country but also reflects our sense of responsibility as a major country. We have maintained a level playing field for domestic and foreign rights holders alike, protecting both domestic intellectual property rights and the legitimate rights and interests of foreign enterprises in China. We have worked to prevent infringing products from abroad from entering the domestic market, while also combating the exports of such products from within China. For example, regarding Labubu, which you just mentioned and has recently gained global popularity, since the beginning of this year, customs authorities across China have intercepted 1.83 million suspected infringing products, effectively maintaining a fair and healthy market for international trade.

Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to inform all enterprises that by visiting the GAC's official website and clicking on the "Internet + Customs" portal, you can complete registration and filing online. You can also call the 12360 customs hotline for consultation at any time. China Customs will wholeheartedly provide you with efficient and high-quality intellectual property protection services for all cross-border activities.

Thank you.