Singapore and China to embark on trade mark cooperation

The Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS) and the State Administration for Industry and Commerce (SAIC) of the People’s Republic of China furthered bilateral relations on 18 May 2015, signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on trade mark cooperation that will see Singapore and China enhance exchanges on trade mark registration, examination practices, protection and enforcement.

The MoU was signed by Mr Tan Yih San, Chief Executive of IPOS, and Mr Liu Yuting, Vice Minister of SAIC.

In 2014, bilateral trade between the two countries rose 11 per cent year-on-year to reach $115.2 billion. Singapore is China's largest foreign investor with US$7.3 billion (S$9.3 billion) worth of investments last year. China is Singapore's largest trading partner.

Since 2013, trade mark applications by class count in China exceeded 1.8 million annually, making the country the top trade-marking destination in the world. To better assist companies seeking brand protection in the region, the ASEAN Working Group on IP Cooperation, currently chaired by Singapore, has expedited and streamlined trade mark cooperation regionally, including the development of the ASEAN TMview, a common online trade mark information platform of the ASEAN Member States aimed at making ASEAN trade mark data widely available and accessible.