The amendment will allow trademark applicants to submit just one application for different categories. The current law requires a separate application for each category.

In addition to words and graphics, the amendment also allows sounds, smells and moving objects to be registered as trademarks.

The amendment will increase the ceiling for fines and levy heavier penalties on those convicted more than once for infringement.

The original Trademark Law was adopted in 1982 as the first intellectual property law in New China.

Innovation in services

A large national cluster of intellectual property services began operation in June at the Suzhou High-tech Zone in Jiangsu province, the first of its kind in the country.

In addition to conventional IP services, the area is also tasked with nurturing quality human resources and commercializing patents and trademarks.

Covering 500,000 square meters, construction on facilities is scheduled for completion by 2014 at a cost of 2 billion yuan ($321.8 million). They are designed to house more than 100 IP agencies and companies, said Zhou Weiqiang, Suzhou's deputy-mayor.

The cluster will boost regional industrial modernization and innovation and gather practical experience for the national IP service industry, said local officials.

Crackdown on Internet piracy

The "Sword at the Internet" campaign to fight online piracy nationwide that began eight years ago achieved remarkable results in 2012, said National Copyright Administration officials.

The administration dealt with more than 280 infringements during the operation last year, 210 of which were settled, while 72 cases were transferred to judicial authorities.

Copyright enforcement officials said they shut down 183 websites illegally carrying copyrighted products and selling pirated goods. They also seized 93 server computers and other equipment.

China launches new campaign against online piracy

Copyright protection winning battle against piracy

Software providers benefit from anti-piracy campaign

China investigates 185 websites for piracy, illegal activities

Proprietary high-speed trains

In December, the first four China-developed technologies used in high-speed railways were granted patents in the United States, believed to have the strictest IP requirements in the world.

 

Developers of the now-patented technologies are three subsidiaries of China CNR Corp, whose executives said the patents "represent key technologies in railway transportation and the latest achievements of the company".

China's high-speed railway system and components have been exported to a number of countries, most recently to Tunisia, where operations began on Dec 17.

China's high-speed railway boom to continue

World's longest high-speed rail 'on track'

China to form high-speed railway network by 2015

Price of some high-speed train tickets to be cut