IP Contacts
PRC Government Intellectual Property Contacts
The following information has been adapted from the US Embassy in Beijing's IPR Toolkit: Intellectual Property Rights in China. All websites are in Chinese, except where indicated.
Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection, and Quarantine (AQSIQ)
AQSIQ is China's standard-setting and quality-control agency. The administration also handles infringements of registered trademarks when the infringing products are of inferior quality.
Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection, and Quarantine
9 East Madian Donglu
Haidian District
Beijing 100088
Tel: (Main directory) 86-10-8226-2114
Tel: (Front office) 86-10-8226-0001
www.aqsiq.gov.cn
General Administration of Customs
Customs regulations ban the import and export of goods that infringe on intellectual property (IP) rights. For enforcement, however, rights holders must register their IP with Customs. Registration certificates issued by Customs are valid for seven years and are renewable.
Rights holders that suspect infringing goods are being shipped to or from China may submit a written application to halt the goods at points of entry or exit. Rights holders may be required to post a bond equivalent to the value of the goods held while Customs investigates the infringement. In cases of infringement, Customs may impose fines and destroy the infringing product.
General Administration of Customs
6 Jianguomennei Dajie
Dongcheng District
Beijing 100730
Tel: 86-10-6519-5243 or 6519-5399
Fax: 86-10-6519-5394
www.customs.gov.cn
Customs branches
Beijing: www.bjcustoms.gov.cn
Guangzhou: www.haiguan.gzfeihua.com/customs.htm
Nanjing: www.nj-customs.gov.cn
Ningbo: www.nbedi.com
Shanghai: www.shcus.gov.cn/apec/index.jsp
Shenzhen: www.sz-customs.gov.cn
Tianjin: www.tjc.gov.cn
National Copyright Administration (NCA)
Responsible for copyright registration, administration, and enforcement, NCA manages nationwide copyright issues by investigating infringement and supervising administrative authorities. Though some administrative remedies are available, NCA lacks personnel and generally encourages complainants to use the court system.
National Copyright Administration of China
85 Dongsi Nan Dajie
Dongcheng District
Beijing 100703
Tel: 86-10-6512-7869 or 6527-6930
Fax: 86-10-6512-7875
www.ncac.gov.cn
Ministry of Public Security
China's police, the provincial- and local-level Public Security Bureau (PSB) offices, handle criminal IP rights cases. Administrative organs can transfer cases of egregious infringement to PSB for criminal prosecution. Criminal prosecution, although quite difficult to obtain, is a viable deterrent and substantially more effective than the low fines and penalties obtained via administrative enforcement.
Ministry of Public Security
14 Dong Chang'an Jie
Dongcheng District
Beijing 100741
Tel: 86-10-6520-2114
E-mail: 110@mps.gov.cn
www.mps.gov.cn
State Administration of Industry and Commerce (SAIC) Trademark Office
SAIC registers and enforces trademarks. Provincial- and local-level SAIC offices can investigate and determine infringements, conduct raids, and issue administrative orders that halt the production and sale of infringing products, destroy such products, impose fines, and remove production equipment. SAIC also handles trade secret disputes under the Anti-Unfair Competition Law.
State Administration of Industry and Commerce
Trademark Office
8 Sanlihe Donglu
Xicheng District
Beijing 100820
Tel: 86-10-6803-2233
Fax: 86-10-6801-0463
www.saic.gov.cn
www.tmo.gov.cn (Chinese and English)
State Intellectual Property Office (SIPO)
SIPO is responsible for the examination and issuance of foreign and domestic patents at the national level. SIPO also supervises provincial-level IP offices that handle administrative enforcement of patent complaints.
State Intellectual Property Office
6 Xitucheng Lu
Haidian District
PO Box 8020
Beijing 100088
Tel: 86-10-6209-3268
Fax: 86-10-6201-9615
www.sipo.gov.cn (Chinese and English)
Source: http://beijing.usembassy-china.org.cn/ipr.html
US Government Intellectual Property Contacts
In China
US Embassy and Consulates
The US Embassy in Beijing is a good first point of contact in China for US companies with intellectual property (IP) rights concerns or problems. Companies located outside of Beijing can also contact their local consulate's US Commercial Service (CS) offices. Local CS officers can provide advice and guidance to US companies in locating IP rights service providers.
Mark Cohen
IPR Attache
United States Embassy, Economic Section
3 Xiu Shui Bei Jie
Dongcheng District
Beijing 100600
Tel: 86-10-6532-3831
Fax 86-10-6532-6645
http://beijing.usembassy-china.org.cn
Ira Belkin
Director, Trade Facilitation Office
United States Embassy
Beijing Kerry Center
31st Floor, North Tower
1 Guanghua Lu
Chaoyang District
Beijing 100020
Tel: 86-10-8529-6655
Fax: 86-10-8529-6700
http://beijing.usembassy-china.org.cn/
Commercial Service Offices
Beijing
Craig Allen, Senior Commercial Officer
US Commercial Service
Beijing Kerry Center
31st Floor, North Tower
1 Guanghua Lu
Chaoyang District
Beijing 100020
Tel: 86-10-8529-6655
Fax: 86-10-8529-6558/9
E-mail: beijing.office.box@mail.doc.gov
www.buyusa.gov/china/en/
Chengdu
US Commercial Service
4 Lingshiguan Lu, Renmin Nanlu Section 4
Chengdu, Sichuan 610041
Tel: 86-28-8558-3992/9642
Fax: 86-28-8558-9221/3520
E-mail: chengdu.office.box@mail.doc.gov
www.buyusa.gov/china/en/chengdu.html
Guangzhou
Mike Murphy, Principal Commercial Officer
US Commercial Service
14/F China Hotel Office Tower, Room 1461
Liu Hua Lu
Guangzhou, Guangdong 510015
Tel: 86-20-8667-4011
Fax: 86-20-8666-6409
E-mail: guangzhou.office.box@mail.doc.gov
www.buyusa.gov/china/en/guangzhou.html
Shanghai
Ira Kasoff, Principal Commercial Officer
US Commercial Service
Shanghai Center, Suite 631
1376 Nanjing Xi Lu
Jing'an District
Shanghai 200040
Tel: 86-21-6279-7630
Fax: 86-21-6279-7639
E-mail: shanghai.office.box@mail.doc.gov
www.buyusa.gov/china/en/shanghai.html
Shenyang
So-ching Tsai, Principal Commercial Officer
US Commercial Service
52 Shi Si Wei Lu
Heping District
Shenyang, Liaoning 110003
Tel: 86-24-2322-1198
Fax: 86-24-2322-2206
E-mail: shenyang.office.box@mail.doc.gov
www.buyusa.gov/china/en/shenyang.html
Hong Kong
Stewart Ballard, Chief Commercial Consul
US Commercial Service
American Consulate General Hong Kong
26 Garden Road, Central
Hong Kong (SAR)
Tel: 852-2521-1467
Fax: 852-2845-9800
E-mail: hong.kong.office.box@mail.doc.gov
http://buyusa.gov/hongkong
In the United States
National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center
The center is a multi-agency coordination office dealing with IP rights violations in the United States.
National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center
1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Room 3.5A
Washington, DC 20229
Tel: 202-344-2410 or 866-IPR-2060
www.ice.gov/graphics/cornerstone/ipr/index.html
US Copyright Office
The Copyright Office registers and administers copyrights in the United States. Though copyright is conferred automatically at the moment of creation, companies should register their copyrights.
Public Information Office
Tel: 202-707-3000
Information Specialists
Tel: 202-707-5959
www.copyright.gov
US Customs and Border Protection
Companies that register their copyrights and trademarks with Customs can request that infringing goods be seized at the border. Patent-infringing products may also be seized under Section 337 of the 1930 Tariff Act.
US Customs and Border Protection
Office of Regulations and Rulings
Intellectual Property Rights Branch
1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Mint Annex
Washington, DC 20229
Tel: 202-572-8710
www.cbp.gov/xp
US Department of Commerce (DOC)
DOC seeks to ensure that foreign countries comply with IP rights aspects of trade agreements and can assist in developing strategies to fight IP rights infringement in foreign markets.
US Department of Commerce, Intellectual Property Rights Office
1401 Constitution Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20230
Tel: 866-999-HALT
DOC Strategies Targeting Organized Piracy (STOP) website: www.stopfakes.gov
US Department of Justice
The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigates large-scale, federal IP rights violations both domestically and internationally, including Internet crimes. Companies should contact local offices, which can be located via the number below.
US Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation
Tel: 202-324-3000
www.usdoj.gov
www.fbi.gov
www.cybercrime.gov/reporting.htm
US International Trade Commission (ITC)
ITC investigates and adjudicates complaints filed by rights holders. Following investigation, ITC can direct US Customs and Border Protection to halt the import of patent-, copyright-, and trademark-infringing products, and order infringing parties to cease unlawful actions. ITC provides a quick route to halting infringing goods at the docks.
International Trade Commission
Trade Remedy Assistance Office
500 E Street, SW
Washington, DC 20436
Tel: 800-343-9822 or 202-205-2200
Website: www.usitc.gov
US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)
USPTO issues and administers patent and trademark registrations.
Tel: 800-786-9199
www.uspto.gov
Source: www.stopfakes.gov
USCBC Contacts
The US-China Business Council (USCBC), Washington
1818 N Street, NW, Suite 200
Washington, DC 20036
Tel: 202-429-0340
Fax: 202-775-2476
E-mail: info@uschina.org
www.uschina.org
USCBC Beijing
CITIC Building, Suite 10-01
19 Jianguomenwai Dajie
Chaoyang District
Beijing 100004
Tel: 86-10-6592-0727
Fax: 86-10-6512-5854
E-mail: info@uschina.org.cn
USCBC Shanghai
1701 Beijing Xi Lu, Room 1301
Jing'an District
Shanghai 200040
Tel: 86-21-6288-3840
Fax: 86-21-6288-3841
E-mail: info@uschina.org.cn
For a list of other business association contacts, see the US Embassy in Beijing's IPR Toolkit.