China Chamber of International Commerce (CCOIC), on behalf of the Chinese business community, has recently submitted written comments on 2020 Special 301 Review to the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR). CCOIC provided a thorough briefing on the latest development in legislation, judicature and enforcement of intellectual property rights in China, and offered a detailed response to the major concerns relating to China in the special 301 report of 2019, aiming at facilitating stabilization of foreign trade and foreign investment through actively dealing with Sino-US economic and trade frictions amid the national combat against the COVID-19.

The U.S. Administration conducts an annual "Special 301" review of the state of intellectual property rights (IPR) protection and enforcement of its trading partners. China has been placed on the Priority Watch List for the past 14 years consecutively.  CCOIC started to respond to the special 301 investigation in 2018 when the achievements and significance of IPR protection in China was introduced, which vigorously safeguarded the legitimate rights and interests of China. In 2019, many of the defensive opinions submitted by CCOIC were adopted in the reports of the U.S. investigation authorities, which pushed the U.S. side to comprehensively assess the state of IPR protection in China and contributed China’s voice to form an all-sided public opinion.

On December 23, 2019, USTR released a request for comments and a notice of a public hearing regarding 2020 Special 301 Review, inviting stakeholders to submit written comments concerning 2020 Special 301 Review by 11:59 EST on February 6, 2020 (GMT+8 February 7, 2020). CCOIC led the preparation of the written comments in an active way, organizing experts and scholars in the field of intellectual property to initiate the draft, soliciting opinions from enterprises, and liaising with relevant departments to finalize the comments. The comments covered five major aspects to showcase the overall development of IPR in China in 2019, including great importance attached to IPR protection, outstanding progress in intellectual property legislation, continuously improved IPR enforcement, strengthened judicial protection of IPR, and the easier market access for foreign investment.