On April 26, the Information Office of the State Council held a press conference on the Report on the Latest Progress of China's IPR Protection and Business Environment (2020) in Beijing. Gan Lin, director of the Office of the National Leading Group on the Fight against IPR Infringement and Counterfeiting (NLGO) and deputy director of the State Administration for Market Regulation, Tang Zhaozhi, director of the Copyright Administration of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, Chen Yusong, director of the Department of Treaty and Law of the Ministry of Commerce, and Mao Jinsheng, director of the Department of Intellectual Property Protection of the China National Intellectual Property Administration, were invited to introduce the relevant information and answer questions from reporters.
The report points out that in strengthening IPR protection, relevant agencies have been cooperating more closely, the information sharing mechanism has become sounder, and the overall work synergy has been improved. In January 2020, Beijing's market regulation authority received a report about a pharmaceutical retail chain selling fake masks. In a raid, the agency found on the spot counterfeit 3M (a QBPC member) masks in the amount of 24301. Suspecting a crime had been committed, the market regulation authority transferred the case to public security organ. In June 2020, the People's Court of Beijing Chaoyang District ruled in first instance, imposing severe legal sanctions on the defendant. This case was also included in this year's QBPC top ten cases selection.
In strengthening judicial protection, the report points out that the quality and efficiency of the adjudication have significantly been improved, effectively curbing counterfeiting, piracy and other infringements. In September 2020, the Shanghai Third Intermediate People's Court decided in the case of "Le Pin" infringing upon the copyright of Lego, a QBPC member, and the defendant Li was sentenced to six years of imprisonment and fined CNY90 million; in December, the Shanghai Higher People's Court rejected defendants’ appeal and upheld the original judgment.
When answering questions from reporters, Gan Lin stated that 2021 was the first year of the 14th Five-Year Plan, and NLGO would enhance IPR protection through different means including deepening international cooperation. In March 2019, after receiving a report from Louis Vuitton Malletier, a QBPC member, Shanghai Public Security Bureau launched an investigation into a trading company controlled by an overseas gang. In July, the police of China and the United Arab Emirates jointly seized the companies, warehouses and factories controlled by this gang in both countries. This joint action cracked open a major case of transnational sales of infringing and counterfeiting goods, with a total value of CNY1.8 billion, making it a model case of international law enforcement cooperation in the field of IPR protection.