China Patent System - An Overview

There was no sustained indigenous intellectual propertyIn China there was a pre-grand opposition before 1992.
protection system in Chine for long. The People'sThis pre-grant opposition was abolished and replaced
Republic of China (PRC) began to establish anby post-grant opposition (or revocation). Thus
intellectual property protection regime based on theshortened the time required to grant a patent by six to
Soviet model during the year 1949. In 1978, Chinaten months, depending on the type of patent
adopted the open-door policy. The Patent Law ofapplication.
China was first promulgated on March 12, 1984. ThereAfter the grand of the patent, any person (either an
are three types of patents: patents for inventions, utilityindividual or an entity) who believes that the patent
models and designs.should not have been granted pursuant to the Patent
The Article 5 of the Patent Law, no patent right shallLaw can request that the Patent Reexamination
be granted for any invention-creation that is contraryBoard declare the patent invalid. The rule 64(2) of the
to the laws of the State or social morality or that isImplementing Regulations provides a list of grounds on
detrimental to public interest. Also, no patent right shallwhich an invalidation request can be based on such
be granted for any of the following:grounds include issues relating to, inter alia,
Scientific discoveries;Novelty, inventiveness, and practical applicability;
Rules and methods for mental activities;Enablement and written description;
Methods for the diagnosis or for the treatment ofAmendments that go beyond the scope of the patent
diseases;application's original disclosure;
Animal and plant varieties;Whether the subject matter is patentable;
Substances obtained by means of nuclearDouble patenting; and
transformationFormal matters.
According to article 22 of the Patent laws the basicInvalidation proceeding may take up to two years, with
requirement for grant of a patent is; "Any invention orthree possible outcomes:
utility model for which patent right[s] may be grantedThe entire patent is declared invalid;
must possess novelty, inventiveness and practicalPart of the patent is declared invalid; and
applicability."The patent is upheld.