At a press conference on February 10, the Shanghai Municipal Government spokesman Jiao Yang introduced the following issues and answered reporters' questions.
Shanghai will enhance the protection of intellectual property rights (IPR), and list the establishment of IPR service platform as one of the main government tasks this year.
From April, a series of key international conferences will be held in Shanghai, such as the World Bank-sponsored global conference on poverty reduction and the 60th annual conference of APEC.

1. Shanghai Daily: How about the operations of the local Maglev train? Are there any new cooperations between Shanghai and Germany after the train is in normal operation? Is the Maglev technology likely to be adopted in the reconstruction of the railway between Beijing and Shanghai?

Jiao Yang: Your second question has been answered in several previous press conferences. As to your railway reconstruction question, Shanghai will definitely follow the decision of the central government. You can contact certain department for the details of Maglev train, and if you need, we can help u contact them.

2. Oriental Morning Post: You mentioned the data on the growth of patent applications this year. Can you tell me the growth is in what kind of aspects? As far as I know, the number of patent applications in Guangzhou is growing much faster than in Shanghai. Where is the gap? You also mentioned the issue on supporting patent transformation. Can you tell me how are the transformation abilities?

Jiao Yang: Among the patent applications, applying for invention patents is growing comparatively faster. As I don't know much about the situation in Guangzhou, I don't want to make any comments on the comparison between Shanghai and Guangzhou. Thanks to a series of policies issued by the Shanghai Municipal government on IPR protection, the number of patent applications has had a large increase, with local enterprises, universities and research institutes reporting bigger rises in patent applications. As concerned to the enterprises, I explain to you by giving you an example: among the 33 local enterprises included in the third batch of firms on IPR experimented work, there are traditional enterprises, main industry companies and high-tech firms, with a combined applications of 4,000 patents. Among the 4,000 patent applications, those applied by high-tech firms account for 7.7 percent, by main industry companies 49 percent and by traditional enterprises cover 43.3 percent. We can see that patent applications from enterprises in main and traditional industries are more than those from high-tech firms and grow more rapidly than the latter one. Although there is only a limited number of applications from high-tech firms, most apply for invention patents, with newly-added production values and profits accounting for more than 40 percent of the total amount. However, high-tech firms should perfect the mechanism and system of their patent work and try to raise the number of patent applications. As to the companies in main and traditional industries, they should further shorten the gap with overseas multinational companies. In the auto sector, a batch of highly-qualified firms with their own IPR are available in the auto part manufacturing industry, but we have no IPR in whole-car technology sector, lagging behind overseas multinational companies.

3. Dragon TV: What are the basic content of the local policies on enhancing IPR protection? Is the bird flu case in Kangqiao of Nanhui Country confirmed? Can you introduce us on the local efforts to fight against bird flu and what losses the disease has brought to the city?

Jiao Yang: The policies on enhancing IPR protection were issued in July last year, coving 23 items and made up of six parts. Enhancing IPR protection work is a significant part of the local strategy to invigorate the city by science and technology, and an important measure to improve the core competitiveness of enterprises and the city. The work should be led by local scientific research institutes and universities and mainly cover local enterprises, focusing on enhancing invention patents and attracting more creative talents. The six parts clarify the general requirements in details:
* Reinforcing the IPR protection work of enterprises and improve their core competitiveness
* Enhancing  the IPR protection work of universities and scientific research institutes and speed up fostering IPR talents
* Optimize IPR, protect environment and raise the IPR awareness of the society
* Establishing an information service sharing platform and IPR research base
* Perfect IPR service system and expand IPR service market
* Perfect IPR management and coordinated system
The detailed contents are available on the Internet.
As to your question that whether the suspected bird flu cases in Nanhui are confirmed or not, not the Shanghai local government, but the Ministry of Agriculture has the right to release the information. After the suspected cases were reported in the city, the Shanghai Committee of the CPC and Shanghai Municipal government are paying much attention to the cases by quickly adopting the emergency reacting program and all the local departments cooperate with each other to adopt a series of preventive measures to efficiently put the situation under control, with no persons infected with the disease.

4.Shanghai Today: I'm a victim myself to violation of IPR.  In this case, I'm quite concerned about this issue. My question is how many IPR lawsuits were received last year in Shanghai? The total volume of money involved and in what aspects?

Jiao Yang: You've touched upon an important problem with IPR work.  In the previous briefing, I've mentioned that intensifying IPR work is one of Shanghai's key tasks.  Shanghai tackles this issue in two ways of both administration and legislation.  Last year, the government rectified the market orders to intensify IPR protection. There's a federal meeting office for IPR in Shanghai to organize relevant government departments for united anti-IPR-violation actions. Departments including the Shanghai Patent Rights Bureau, Shanghai Administration of Industry and Commerce and the Customs Office have united in several raids on fake, pirate and illegal products.  Their work is effective.  Statistics indicated, in 2003, the patent bureau completed 70 of the 81 cases involving patent rights and 43 of the 52 rights violation cases.  Local courts received 745 IPR cases, completing 717 and coordinating 71.  Two cases in the previous year are noteworthy: one is that Shanghai No. 2 Intermediate Court ruled on December 29 that use of logo by the brand of "Mengtejiao Meiyan" has violated the rights of French company Montagut.  The first verdict orders Shanghai Meizheng Clothing Co Ltd to stop the brand violation activity and paid the French company 500,000 yuan in compensation.  The other case is Shanghai No. 2 Intermediate Court joined to judge on March 24 that three defendants of the pirate "Cihai" dictionary case, namely individual book wholesalers Li Weiwei, Ha Ling as well as Shaanxi Hanzhong Printing Factory, pay 500.000 yuan in compensation to Shanghai Dictionary Press and the editing committee of the dictionary.  In addition to criminal punishment, Li and Ha were fined.  This is the first IPR case in Shanghai that defendants get both criminal and civil punishments.  These decrees on typical cases strongly protect Shanghai's legal environment for IPR and investment environment.

5. Oriental Radio News Channel: The spokesperson said Shanghai needs to improve in many aspects, as in receiving capacity of hotels and restaurants, to hold important international conferences and exhibitions. Can you offer the concrete resolutions?  Shanghai has banned live poultry trade after the report of a suspected case of bird flu.  People want to know whether the policy is on the long term?  Will local residents be able to eat fresh poultry shortly after killed any more?
　　
Jiao Yang: There're many areas for Shanghai to improve to undertake major international conferences, such as the receiving capacity of hotels.  By the end of last year, there were 338 star rated hotels in Shanghai with rooms exceeding 60,000.  Of the hotels, 20 are five-stars, 30 four-stars and 123 three-stars.  By 2007, the city expects to add 10,000 rooms at star-rated hotels.  Previous experience indicated the room occupancy rates reach 70 percent in April and May and reaches 80 percent in September and October.  Targeting at this year's large volume of international conferences planned in city, Shanghai Tourism Administration has coordinated among local hotels and restaurants.  It requires the hotels to provide forenotice of available rooms to ensure good reception of clients and tourists.

As for your second question, Shanghai's food markets are in normal supplies now and the prices remain stable.  In response to the current emergency situation, the municipal government has taken a series of measures to cut possible spread paths of bird flu.  Local citizens have voiced understanding and support for the measures.  Relevant departments will quicken up the research for long-term effect management measures for the city's poultry slaughtering and circulation.  Just like in the period of SARS, the government will draft emergency measures and turn them into long-term effect management mechanism afterward.  Relevant departments are in study for the measures and the government advocates citizens to develop a scientific and healthy shopping style.

6.  Taiwan Zhongtian TV:  On March 20, Taiwan will hold its election.  Business people in Shanghai plan to launch a committee here to back Lian Zhan.  We've learned that public security departments on Chinese mainland have learned about it.  This will be the first Taiwanese organization on the mainland for election. My question is whether they have officially applied for the registration and were there such cases before?  Last year a Taiwan businessman was arrested on charge of spy.  My question is whether Shanghai government will do like governments of other places such as Hainan Province to allow his family to come to visit him? What's more, when will he be tried?

Jiao Yang: About the first question, it's necessary to make a correction here or make a clarification:  We don't comment on the election of Taiwan leaders.  According to China's regulations, it's impossible to permit registration of Taiwanese political organization or institution in Shanghai.  Therefore, Taiwanese political organizations or insinuations can't do activities on Chinese mainland.  It's against the law.  If the Taiwan business people go back to vote, it's their individual activity.  But in Shanghai they must abide by the laws and regulations of the Chinese mainland.

In addition, your second question doesn't fall in the scope for a government spokesperson to answer.

7.Jie Fang Daily: As Shanghai will host about 70 global conferences this year, the city's public transportation is to face severe pressure. What measures will the government take against the problem?

Jiao Yang: The city's traffic remains a topic of concerns, especially among journalists and we've talked about the situation several times. Our counter plan measures concerning the international conferences includes:
To make face-lift and adjustments on traffic signals;
To improve traffic order on elevated-roads;
To ease the traffic jams in major bottlenecks;
To set up 350 taxi stations within the inner-ring roads;
To enhance supervision on roadside construction to avoid traffic jam caused by urban construction projects; and
To speed up police's dealing with traffic accidents.
We hope all those on the road will be understanding and cooperative to our measures.

8.Phoenix TV (HK): Shanghai aims to increase its suburban farmers' per capita annual income to 7,000 yuan this year. What's the component of the sum? Currently the farmers' income are affected by bird flu, so how will the government reduce their loses and guarantee their income?

Jiao Yang: We've stated two months ago that the farmers' income increase comparatively fast in Shanghai. The per capita income of farmers in Shanghai's suburb will increase by 8 percent this year to more than 7000 yuan from the 6650 yuan last year. Currently we're not sure of the exactly component of the amount. Generally the increased the part will come from:
* Increased income of grain-producing farmers with improved agricultural structure;
* Non-agricultural labors' income from newly created non-agricultural jobs;
* More job opportunities for rural labors from newly established enterprise;
* Farmers who open and run their own business. About 130,000 excessive labors in Shanghai suburb may get jobs in non-agricultural position this year.
To protect farmers interest during the bird flu outbreak, the government compensate for farmers' lost in poultry slaughter, issue production subsidies to breeding poultry farms and hatcheries, and organize poultry proceeding companies make large amount purchase from these farmers.

9.News Times: Aiming at being a global convention center, how will Shanghai improve its long-term hotel management and raise the common level of exhibitions and conventions held here?
As for effect of the bird flu, who is to pay for the compensative purchase? Is it the government? If so, how much will the government pay? How are the measures progressing?

Jiao Yang: On your second question, the government measure against affection and loses caused by bird flu can be found in media report. Shanghai government pays the bill for compensative purchases.
As for the convention industry, Shanghai lays much emphasis on venue constructions. The city has 13 venue of 160,000 square meters exhibition space. The Shanghai New International Expo Centre currently in construction will have an exhibiting space of more than 200,000 square meters when completed. Number of exhibitions and conventions held each year in Shanghai increase by 20 percent annually.
Apart from venue site, the city is also studying and working on a common divisor of convention industry and an evaluation system of convention and exhibition level. It's also working on the protection of IPR and brands in the convention industry. Qualified overseas companies will be allowed into the market gradually. We will also give more professional training to convention industry staffers and set up a training center. And the last but not the least important, we encourage cooperation and exchange of experience among mainland and overseas operators.