[2]: 17–18 In 1985, China acceded to the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property, followed by the Patent Cooperation Treaty in 1994.
[4] When China joined the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 2001, it became a member of the TRIPS agreement.
To comply with its international obligations, as well as to facilitate its development into an innovative country,[5] China has since amended its Patent Law three times: first in 1992, then again in 2000, and most recently in 2009.
[2]: 20 A bilateral memorandum of understanding with the United States made this amendment to domestic law necessary.
[2]: 21 The 2000 amendments to the Patent Law were designed to ensure China's compliance with its obligations under the TRIPS Agreement.
There is a post-grant opposition procedure available through SIPO, and actions may also be initiated at the Patent Review Board (PRB).
As a part of these efforts, the city of Shanghai introduced in 1999 a patent subsidy program for local businesses.