27 July 2018Asia

LSIPR 50 2018: Changyu Shen

Name: Changyu Shen

Organisation: State Intellectual Property Office

Position: Commissioner

Under Changyu Shen’s guidance, China’s State International Property Office (SIPO) is implementing reform in the way IP is recognised and protected in China.

As Commissioner, he is leading the drive to make China an IP powerhouse—an aim included in the country’s five-year “National Strategy for Innovation-Driven Development” plan, announced in 2016.

Shen’s influence seems to be already having an impact on China’s innovation: SIPO reported a 14.2% increase in invention patent applications in 2017 compared with the previous year, totalling 1.38 million invention-related applications.

According to the World Intellectual Property Organization, China claimed second place as a source of Patent Cooperation Treaty applications in 2017, just behind the US and overtaking Japan for the first time. It was the only country to experience double-digit annual growth last year (13.4%) and is projected to claim the top spot within three years.

In addition, Shen is leading the Patent Quality Improvement Campaign, a programme intended to improve the patent application process from application to the utilisation of the patents. So far, the office has delivered on easing administrative constraints, and streamlining the process for the examination of patent applications in fields such as big data and cloud computing.

"Shen has been a keen advocate of international collaboration in IP to promote good inter-country relations in trade, culture, and science and technology."

Shen has been a keen advocate of international collaboration in IP to promote good inter-country relations in trade, culture, and science and technology. His office is also working with the Ministry of Education to roll out a pilot programme on IP education in primary schools across China, as well as strengthening IP awareness through the country and beyond.

Shen has a solid background in the sciences. He is an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, a winner of the National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars, and was chief scientist of the National Basic Research Program of China.

Prior to his appointment in 2013, Shen served as president of the Dalian University of Technology, where he completed his doctorate.