China: “junk Patents”

A top State Intellectual Property Office (SIPO) officer has stated that Chinese patent authorities have been registering a large number of patents lacking in novelty. This has happened in the effort to reduce processing time and costs for lesser patents in the utility model and design categories, which have recently received less attention in terms of substantive examination. This has also been compounded by a recent trend on the part of local and provincial governments towards the encouragement of patenting. This has ultimately led to the filing of numerous so called “junk patents”. The authorities are now considering an amendment of the new patent law.