Chinese Ministry of Commerce officials to visit Salt Lake City

SALT LAKE CITY — Officials from China will visit Utah's capital city next week to discuss intellectual property rights.

On Monday, WTC Utah, the Utah Governor’s Office of Economic Development and the Salt Lake Chamber will host the Chinese Ministry of Commerce for a China-U.S. IPR Roundtable. The event is scheduled from 9:30 a.m.-noon.

Since joining the World Trade Organization in 2001, China has strengthened its legal framework and amended its IPR and related regulations to comply with the WTO Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights. Despite stronger statutory protection, China continues to be a haven for counterfeiters and pirates.

As China’s WTO accession promises greater market access and a more predictable commercial environment, there are many potential pitfalls companies should be aware of. The roundtable will give an overview of China’s latest progress on trademark protection in addition to its recent progress on copyright and patent protection.

To RSVP for the event, please contact Sheila Steiner at ssteiner@wtcut.com.