Trade secrets protection and enforcement practice in China

Trade secrets play an important role in firm competitiveness and strategic positioning, especially for startups and in research and development–intensive industries. Firms should actively prevent unauthorized disclosures of trade secrets. In case of a theft, they may need to pursue enforcement. Protecting trade secrets is an ongoing challenge for companies doing business in the United States and the People’s Republic of China.

This event at United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia, offered examination of enforcement avenues against trade secret misappropriation in China. This half-day hybrid program brought together experts on civil options and administrative enforcement, including representatives of China’s State Administration for Market Regulation, the Shanghai Administration for Market Regulation, and civil litigators from the private sector. 

Panels examined the following topics, and took questions from the audience:

• Trade secret protection: Legislative work, government service, and administrative enforcement
• Civil enforcement against trade secret misappropriation: Investigation and evidence-gathering, role of private parties, case transfer, and case presentation

Agenda

Additional information

Presentations will be in English and Mandarin. Simultaneous interpretation will be available to all attendees. For more information, visit the registration page or email william.long@uspto.gov in the USPTO’s Office of Policy and International Affairs (OPIA).

This program is organized by OPIA in collaboration with China’s State Administration for Market Regulation.

This program is hosted by the USPTO’s Global Intellectual Property Academy, a unit of OPIA. The office advises the administration and other federal government departments and agencies on domestic and international intellectual property (IP), legal, and policy issues. It also provides technical assistance and training on IP-related matters to U.S. stakeholders, and U.S. and foreign government officials.