China’s National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) released the Administrative Measures for Credit Evaluation of Patent Agencies (Trial) (专利代理信用评价管理办法(试行)) on April 11, 2023 and effective May 1, 2023. The Measures follow up on the trial implementation in a few provinces and the Draft Measures issued on October 8, 2022. Low grades will lead to increased inspections and other penalties.
Chinese Live Streamer Sentenced to 1 Year 10 Months Prison Term for Selling Counterfeit Disney Plush Toys
On April 14, 2023, the Jing An Procuratorate in Shanghai, China announced that live streamer Zhu XX with 200,000 fans was sentenced to a prison term of 1 year 10 months and fined 800,000 RMB for the crime of selling goods with counterfeit registered trademarks belonging to Disney. An additional 5 defendants were sentenced to imprisonment of 1 year to 1 year 8 months and fined, subject to probation.
China Releases Draft Measures for the Management of Generative Artificial Intelligence Services
On April 11, 2023, the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) released the Measures for the Management of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) Services (Draft for comments) (生成式人工智能服务管理办法(征求意见稿)) regulating research, development and utilization of generative artificial intelligence products to provide services to the public within the territory of the People’s Republic of China. The CAC defines generative AI as “technologies that generate text, pictures, sounds, videos, codes, and other content based on algorithms, models, and rules.”
China’s Supreme People’s Court Releases Annual Report of the Intellectual Property Court for 2022
On March 30, 2023, China’s Supreme People’s Court released the Annual Report of the Intellectual Property Court (IPC) for 2022 (最高人民法院知识产权法庭年度报告（2022)). The report lists statistics for 2022 as well as from its founding in 2019 through 2022 and achievements for 2022. Of note, the IPC accepted case number increased by 18% to 6,183 technology-related IP appeal cases and monopoly appeal cases. The 18% increase represents a slowdown in the growth rate of newly accepted cases as appeals relating to patent …