China

Country code: 

CN

Flag: 

Ownership rules: 

Default (statutory) regime for the ownership

Author / Inventor

Default (statutory) regime for employee’s creations

In relation to patents: Employer, if an invention is accomplished in the course of performing the duties of an employee, or mainly by using the material and technical conditions of an employer.

In relation to copyright: Employer, in case of drawings of engineering designs and product designs, maps, computer software and other works which are created in the course of employment mainly with the material and technical resources of the legal entity or other organization and for which the legal entity or other organization bears responsibility; the same applies to works created in the course of employment the copyright in which is, in accordance with laws, administrative regulations or contracts, enjoyed by the legal entity or other organization. In other cases, the copyright shall belong to the employee, but the employer shall have priority to exploit the work within the scope of its professional activities.

Ownership of research results in publicly sponsored research

No specific rules

Specific ownership rules for public HEIs/research organisations and possibility to modify it contractually

None

Specific ownership regime for students/ visiting researchers/doctoral students and possibility to modify it contractually

None

Related law (name & link)

Patent Law of the People's Republic of China, Article 6

Copyright Law of the People’s Republic of China, Articles 11, 16

Dissemination rules: 

Limitations on publication

None

Specific rules regarding publication of scientific results financed by public bodies

None

Non-disclosure clauses in research contracts

None

Specific incentives for innovation activities: 

Related Law (name & Link)

Information not available

Incentives provided by law for individual researchers

None

Related Law (name & Link)

Information not available

Incentives provided by HEI for researcher

None

Form of commercialisation: 

Form of commercialisation

Requirements regarding form of contract

Limitations for HEIs

HEIs Unit responsible for commercialisation

Related law (name & link)

Transfer / Licensing of copyright, patents, trademarks

Written form. Additionally for trademarks: contracts on transfer shall be approved by the Trademark Office; licensing contracts shall be submitted to the Trademark Office for record.

None

None

Copyright Law of the People’s Republic of China, Articles 24, 25

Trademark Law of the People's Republic of China, Articles 39, 40

Contract Law of the People’s Republic of China, Chapter 18 Section 3

Revenue sharing: 

Remuneration/ Participation in revenues

Statutory rules regarding remuneration

Statutory rules regarding revenue sharing

Internal HEIs rules regarding revenue sharing

Related law (name & link)

Patent

The unit that is granted the patent right shall reward the inventor or designer of an employment invention-creation. After such patent is exploited, the inventor or designer shall be given a reasonable amount of remuneration according to the scope of application and the economic results.

None

None

Patent Law of the People's Republic of China, Article 16

Rules for the Implementation of the Patent Law of the People’s Republic of China, Rules 76-78

Copyright

The rates of remuneration for the exploitation of a work may be agreed upon by the parties and may also be paid in accordance with the rates fixed by the administrative department for copyright under the State Council in conjunction with the other departments concerned. In the absence of an explicit agreement in the contract, the remuneration shall be paid in accordance with the rates fixed by the said department under the State Council in conjunction with the other departments concerned.

None

None

Copyright Law of the People’s Republic of China, Article 28

Models of contracts used in R&D: 

Type of contracts

Short description

Source (link)

Technology Exploitation Contract, Technology Transfer Contract, Technology Consult Contract, Technology Service Contract

Although there is no model contracts for all types of contract mentioned, there is "Technology Contract Qualification Rule" issued by The Ministry of Science and Technology which regulates the contracts.

http://www.most.gov.cn/fggw/zfwj/zfwj2001/200512/t20051214_55040.htm