- Beijing

'Patent Highway' with UK

A "Patent Prosecution Highway" that opened last week between the State Intellectual Property Office and the UK Intellectual Property Office allows patent owners to request accelerated processing in each country. James Younger, the UK minister for intellectual property, said that the program will encourage growth and enable UK businesses to work more closely with China, one of their most important economic partners.

Xinhuanet.com

Wide range of IP help

SIPO has established a partnership with the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade to provide its expertise to help Chinese companies expand their global reach. The two organizations will work together on 13 issues including IP exchanges with foreign countries, strengthening IP services in overseas markets, improving corporate IP operations, and organizing and managing IP training programs.

PEOPLE.COM.CN

- Hebei

Inspiring students to invent

The provincial capital Shijiazhuang plans to identify a group of demonstration schools for IP education within three years, according to a recent policy issued by the city government and a science and technology association. Secondary and high schools across the city are called on to organize various activities to increase IP awareness and inspire interest in invention among students. The government will also earmark a special fund to reward student inventors.

Shijiazhuang Daily

- Hunan

956 pass agent exam

The provincial intellectual property office recently announced that 1,015 people had applied for this year's national patent agent examination in Changsha, a 18.6 percent year-on-year increase, and surpassing 1,000 for the first time, with 956 passing the test, up 24.3 percent. The government will organize month-long training programs in August.

gov.rednet.cn

- Jilin

Patent industrialization

The provincial government signed an agreement with SIPO last week to promote patent industrialization in such sectors as auto production, machinery, food, electronics, new materials and biomedicines. Experts will map out technological development plans for five to 10 industries in need of guidance on R&D. A provincial IP public information service center and a quick legal aid mechanism will also be established.

Science and Technology Daily

- Zhejiang

Innovations auctioned

More than 80 patents and high-tech innovations were auctioned recently in Hangzhou, bringing in combined sales of more than 120 million yuan ($19.2 million). A package of five patents in the chemical sector owned by the Zhejiang University was sold for 10 million yuan, the highest price in the auction. A professor at the university said the five patents could play important roles in biomedical and magnetic research.

TODAY MORNING EXPRESS

- Guangdong

Leadair turboprop flight

China's indigenous turboprop aircraft finished its maiden flight last Saturday at Jinwan Airport in Zhuhai. The five-seat Leadair AG300 business aircraft has a carbon fiber composite airframe and is designed to reach 600 km an hour, making it one of the fastest turboprops in the world. Developed by China Aviation Industry General Aircraft Co, it will be put on the market in 2015.

CHINANEWS.COM

The Leadair AG 300. Wei Meng / For China Daily

(China Daily 07/09/2014 page17)