Xi'an, the capital of Shaanxi province, plans to launch an online national pilot platform for intellectual property operations focusing on civil and military integration this year, a local official said.

At the 12th Five-Year Plan (2011-15) Technology and Innovation Achievements Exhibition in Beijing, Huang Haidong, deputy director of the Xi'an Technology Resources Market, said the platform aims to promote transfers and commercialization of technologies, especially those with patents, from civil and military fields.

The platform was a section of the scientific and technological innovation service platform system showcased by the Xi'an Hi-Tech Industries Development Zone at the exhibition from June 1 through 7.

Huang said the platform would allow the release of demand and supply information on civil and military IP, especially patents, and serve IP transactions.

The platform, part of the national IP operations service system supported by the State Intellectual Property Office and the Ministry of Finance, plans to sign strategic cooperation agreements with several military groups and seven universities that work with the national defense industry.

Huang said patent technologies of the groups and universities would be displayed and promoted at the platform. Military technologies would probably be bought by civil companies and civil technologies purchased to be used in the military field, he said.

The platform plans to involve an IP service system where IP service organizations and the platform provide services such as patent information analysis, patent value evaluation and patent transfer.

Huang said a local IP operations fund of 100 million yuan ($15.2 million) will be set up based on the platform. At least half of the fund will come from government investment.

The fund will be used to commercialize technological achievements that have IP and market prospects.

Huang said related policies have been formulated to support the platform, including the benefit distribution mechanism and preferential policies for buyers and sellers of technologies.

According to the construction plan of the platform, it aims to become a domestic leading center for IP and technological fruits clustering, trade and operations services. The annual trade volume of patent technologies at the platform is expected to surpass 10 billion yuan by the end of 2020.

(China Daily 06/08/2016 page17)