Beijing Intellectual Property Court sees popularity home, abroad

Beijing Intellectual Property Court, with convenient measures both for litigants from home and abroad, has become a referred destination for resolving international IP disputes around the world.

Data released by the court on Thursday showed that since its establishment in November 2014, it has concluded nearly 200,000 IP cases, of which, about 34,000 involved foreign entities. Meanwhile, it has also received 1,775 visits from more than 20 countries, regions and international organizations.

"We've obtained thank you notes from many foreign litigants, international organizations and leading enterprises in multiple industries," Lu Guang, spokesman of the court, said at a news conference.

The figures and the letters mean that "the court has become an international preferred venue for resolving IP lawsuits, as well as an important window for the international community to understand China's judicial protection on IP rights," he added.

Both domestic and foreign litigants have been given equal protection during case handling and could have easier access to litigation, the court said, adding that it has filed 91 percent of the cases through the internet over the past decade.

To further improve the judicial efficiency, the court also issued guidelines on Thursday to inform foreign litigants and their lawyers what documents they should provide if they decide to initiate lawsuits and certify they are qualified in litigation.