China to prioritize patent examination in certain fields

BEIJING - China will prioritize the examination of patents in certain fields to improve patent licensing efficiency, the State Intellectual Property Office of China (SIPO) said Monday.

According to a set of regulations scheduled to go into effect Tuesday, the applications and reexamination of patents on energy saving, environmental protection, new-generation information technology, high-end equipment manufacturing, new energy, intelligent manufacturing and some other industries enjoy such treatment.

Patents that involve the Internet, big data, cloud computing and in sectors with fast evolution in product or technology will also have such priorities.

"The regulations help form a more comprehensive system for prioritizing patent examinations," said Song Jianhua, director of the treaty and law department of SIPO.