China's State Intellectual Property Office (SIPO) began Tuesday a program of intellectual property (IP) seminars to train IP practitioners in Asian countries.

Twenty-one officials and practitioners from 13 countries, including Bangladesh, Vietnam, Mongolia and Kazakstan, are participating in the Asian Regional Seminar on Patent Examination Practice.

Li Yuguang, SIPO vice-commissioner, said Asian countries should increase exchanges and cooperation, and developing human resources and building capacity were important to strengthen IP systems.

"The organization of the seminar reflects the common aspiration of China and other Asian countries for exchanges," Li said.

China has established a comprehensive legal and administrative system for IP protection, joining key international treaties.

The government has also cultivated a qualified and experienced force of IP practitioners.

"We hope Chinese practitioners and their international counterparts can discuss the practical issues of IP systems," Li said.

The five-day seminar will cover China's IP law, preliminary examinations of patents, substantive examination procedures, patent documentation, the patent search system, the application and examination mechanism of the Patent Cooperation Treaty, and innovation and patents.

(Xinhua News Agency April 12, 2006)