China鈥檚 first patent holder marvels at IP progress
Print Edition
Thirty-six years ago, Hu Guohua queued overnight outside China鈥檚 patent office to apply for a patent. The next day, April 1, 1985, China鈥檚 Patent Law came into effect, and the office received more than 3,400 applications.
Eight months later, Hu got a patent certificate. Newspapers splashed photos of the spectacled engineer, who became the country鈥檚 first patent rights holder.
鈥淭he patent system has recognized the value of knowledge, galvanized innovation and fostered development,鈥 Hu said in a recent interview.
In 1966, after graduating from Fudan University, Hu became an optical researcher at an institute under the former ministry of aerospace industry in Beijing.
At the time, most people were not aware of the concept of the intellectual property. With recommendation letters, researchers could get access to each other鈥檚 inventions easily.
Such practices helped popularize technologies, but could not protect the work and ideas of inventors, which would hinder innovation long-term, Hu said.
When he learned that China would implement the Patent Law, he decided to try for a patent.
Color display device
Hu learned that patented inventions should be novel, creative and practical.
鈥淎t that time, many of my inventions were made public through exhibitions and academic papers, so they were no longer novel. Therefore, I chose an invention that was being developed, a color display device to help analyze satellite images.鈥
Hu鈥檚 patent certificate has been in the National Museum of China collection since the patent expired. He kept a copy: 鈥淭his is an important record of my innovative work.鈥
He started a company in 1986 and now has patent rights on at least 10 inventions, including laser anti-counterfeiting labels for tobacco products and laser surgery equipment for treating myopia.
He believes the utility of patents is important and inventions should be made available to the public. 鈥淣othing is more exciting than innovations that can solve problems in real world,鈥 Hu said.
The 78-year-old has never stopped innovating, and witnessed China鈥檚 growth into a veritable IP power.
In 2019, China surpassed the US as the top source of international patent applications filed with the World Intellectual Property Organization. It stayed ahead with 68,720 applications in 2020.
Competition has become much fiercer, but there is no need to queue to file an application as Hu did 36 years ago. The National Intellectual Property Administration has more than 40 centers, offering quicker services and reducing the duration and cost of IP protection.
The country鈥檚 patent examination is one of the world鈥檚 most efficient. Last year, the processing time for high-value patents was reduced to 14 months, and it will be further shortened by the end of this year, according to the NIPA.
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