Tao Kaiyuan, vice-president of the Supreme People's Court (SPC) of China met with Erik Wilbers, director of the Arbitration and Mediation Center of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) on June 6 in Beijing.

Tao welcomed Wilbers and his delegation. She outlined the cooperative history between the SPC and WIPO, adding that they have maintained sound cooperation since the signing of an MoU in 2017 on judicial cooperation and exchanges.

It's critical to explore a diverse dispute settlement mechanism for building a modern society management system and China is always committed to it, said Tao.

The SPC is expected to strengthen cooperation with the WIPO in many areas including IP information sharing, case studies, personnel exchanges and organization of international forums, said Tao, adding that she hopes the WIPO's alternative dispute resolution will spread in China.

Wilbers appreciated the meeting and spoke highly of the cooperation between China's courts and the WIPO.

A symposium was held just before the meeting to discuss the application of WIPO's mediation in IP litigation, attended by the SPC officials, representatives of some local courts, Wilbers and his delegation.

Wilbers said he learned a lot in the symposium and that China's diverse disputes settlement mechanism impressed him.