The Youth Intellectual Property Dialogue of the China Branch of the International Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property (AIPPI) 2025 was held in Hohhot from July 24 to 26. With the theme of "Synergy between Industrial Innovation and Market Order", the dialogue was primarily targeted at young members of AIPPI China Branch. It also invited judicial and examination experts from the Supreme People's Court and the National Intellectual Property Administration, corporate legal counsel, and representatives from relevant industry associations to participate in in-depth discussions on the development trends of intellectual property in the context of globalization. Centering on twelve cutting-edge intellectual property topics, the delegates engaged in dialogues in English or Japanese. Partners of our law firm, Lawyers Liu Mengfei and Liu Zhihan, were invited to attend and deliver keynote speeches.

Under the topic of "Hot Issues in Patent Protection in the Chemical and Pharmaceutical Fields", Lawyer Liu Mengfei delivered a speech entitled "The Game between Antibody Structure Modifications and the Doctrine of Equivalents".

Starting from the common definition methods of current antibody-related patents, the speech introduced the industry's common strategies for antibody circumvention design and the basic conditions for patent holders to assert the Doctrine of Equivalents in patent infringement disputes. Due to the complex structure of antibody macromolecules and the difficulty in accurately describing the structure-activity relationship, the classic tests of the Doctrine of Equivalents based on technical means, functions, and effects still have limitations, and a comprehensive judgment needs to be made in combination with the insubstantial difference test. Through the analysis of typical cases, Lawyer Liu explained the principles and operational key points of the comprehensive test method in antibody-related patent disputes. In addition, based on the current situation where the examination practices of various countries are converging and there is a general tendency to define antibodies by structural characteristics, Lawyer Liu proposed an optimization strategy of using modern high-throughput technologies to obtain experimental data to support the pursuit of a broader scope of patent protection during the patent application stage.

Subsequently, Lawyer Liu engaged in enthusiastic discussions with the participants on intellectual property issues concerning biological drugs. Her forward-looking perspectives were highly recognized and praised by the attendees.

Boasting a PhD in Molecular Biology, Lawyer Liu practices as both an attorney-at-law and a patent attorney. She has in-depth research on the protection of technological achievements in the biopharmaceutical, chemical, and other related industries, and has handled numerous complex cases involving professional and technical difficulties. She is capable of providing clients with legal services in areas such as intellectual property layout and operation, patent litigation, patent freedom-to-operate (FTO) analysis, patent pool operation, and resolution of cross-border intellectual property disputes.

Under the topic of "Good and Evil in Trademark Right Confirmation", Lawyer Liu Zhihan delivered a speech entitled "Strategies for Addressing Malicious Registration in the Context of Conflicts of Rights". Drawing inspiration from an intellectual property criminal case involving rights conflicts that she had recently handled, the speech sparked reflections on how to combat malicious registration while safeguarding the legitimate rights and interests of trademark owners in situations of rights conflicts.

In today’s context, rights conflicts are no longer confined to the malicious squatting of unregistered trademarks that have been used in advance by trademark owners. They have also extended to scenarios where malicious parties conduct malicious registration or filing in areas such as copyright and design patent rights, and then initiate malicious enforcement actions against the registered trademarks of legitimate trademark owners. Amid the frequent occurrence of rights conflicts caused by malicious registration, right holders must not only comprehensively sort out their legally owned prior rights and select appropriate prior rights to combat malicious registration, but also consider formulating a systematic plan for the registration and filing of their intellectual property rights. This prevents malicious counterparts from squatting on other rights owned by the right holder beyond the trademark field. In addition, right holders may consider taking proactive measures—such as filing unfair competition lawsuits or applying for judicial sanctions—to regulate acts of malicious registration or malicious litigation.

Lawyer Liu Zhihan holds a bachelor’s degree with double majors in Literature and Law from China Foreign Affairs University, and a master’s degree in Law from the University of Warwick in the United Kingdom. Focusing primarily on intellectual property protection-related work, she has extensive practical experience in anti-counterfeiting, infringement investigations, and law enforcement, and provides legal services to numerous well-known multinational enterprises.

Since 2014, the China Branch of the International Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property (AIPPI) has been organizing annual internal academic exchange activities on intellectual property primarily targeting young members. The event features distinct characteristics: hosting and discussions are mainly conducted in English, with some topics in Japanese, simulating international intellectual property event scenarios. It invites authoritative figures such as examination experts from the National Intellectual Property Administration and judicial experts from the Supreme People's Court to engage in multi-dimensional and in-depth discussions with young members on cutting-edge hot issues in areas including intellectual property right acquisition, protection, application, and management. The initiative aims to foster a team of international intellectual property talents with a holistic perspective, international vision, proficiency in international rules, and excellence in international communication. After more than a decade of development and accumulation, the event has evolved into an important platform for the growth of foreign-related intellectual property legal talents at the China Branch, gaining widespread recognition and support from its members.