China’s Ministry of Commerce announced on Tuesday that it will carefully assess the World Trade Organization (WTO) ruling regarding standard essential patent disputes with the European Union (EU). The ministry emphasized its commitment to resolving the issue in accordance with WTO regulations.
A spokesperson highlighted that the WTO arbitration panel upheld an expert group’s decision, affirming that China’s actions did not undermine the protection of patent rights of other WTO members. “China welcomes this affirmation,” the spokesperson stated, noting that the measures were not considered enforcement of intellectual property regulations under WTO rules.
However, China expressed concerns over parts of the ruling. The panel concluded that WTO members should avoid impacting patent holders’ ability to exercise their rights in other members’ territories. “We are dissatisfied with this unwarranted extension of WTO member obligations,” the spokesperson remarked, indicating that the conclusion lacked sufficient basis.
Emphasizing multilateral cooperation, the ministry acknowledged the importance of the Multi-Party Interim Appeal Arbitration Arrangement (MPIA) in effectively resolving trade disputes legally. China pledged to collaborate with other MPIA participants to ensure its effective implementation, aiming to uphold the rule-based multilateral trading system.
