On March 9, Shen Changyu, Commissioner of the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) held a video conference with Mr. Santisouk Phounsavath, the new Director General of the Department of Intellectual Property (IPD), Ministry of Industry and Commerce, Laos. This is the first high-level meeting between Chinese and Lao intellectual property authorities after the reform of Laos' intellectual property management institutions.

Shen Changyu congratulated Mr. Santisouk Phounsavath on his new appointment. He said that the CNIPA and the IPD have maintained good bilateral cooperative relations and kept intensive exchanges under the framework of the Belt and Road IP cooperation, China-ASEAN IP cooperation, and Lancang-Mekong cooperation. The bilateral cooperation such as high-level exchanges, promotion of patent examination cooperation projects, personnel training, and information sharing has yielded fruitful results. It is hoped that the two sides will further deepen cooperation and exchanges in the future and push forward cooperation projects in all aspects, making greater contributions to the development of intellectual property in both countries.

Phounsavath introduced the personnel transfer and the latest development of the Lao Intellectual Property Department. In addition, he made proposals on how to continue to implement the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Intellectual Property Cooperation under the new circumstances, and how to strengthen the publicity and promotion of a core project, Cooperation for Facilitating Patent Grant. Phounsavath expressed the hope that the two sides will work together to continue to boost pragmatic cooperation in all fields for fruitful results.

It is understood that the MoU on IP Cooperation between China and Laos was signed in April 2018, marking the establishment of official cooperative relations in intellectual property between Laos and China. According to the MoU, Laos recognizes China's invention patent examination results. In April 2019, the Cooperation for Facilitating Patent Grant project was officially launched. Applicants with valid Chinese invention patents can request accelerated decisions for their related patent applications in Laos.

At the meeting, the two sides also exchanged views on information sharing, personnel training, Belt and Road IP cooperation, and how to raise IP awareness.

Competent officials from the International Cooperation Department and the Patent Examination Management Department of the Patent Office, CNIPA were present at the meeting.