China-LAC Summit Kicks Off, Ideal Time for Intellectual Property Layout

By the Yellow River, cooperation surges. The 18th China-Latin America Entrepreneurs Summit held in Zhengzhou is not only an economic and trade event but also brings a golden opportunity for intellectual property layout for Chinese and Latin American enterprises.

On November 3rd, the 18th China-Latin America Entrepreneurs Summit officially opened in Zhengzhou, Henan Province, under the theme 'Innovating and Intelligently Winning the Future'.

This summit showcased the depth of cooperation between China and Latin America in areas such as trade and investment, technological innovation, and green development. All of this points to a clear signal:

China-Latin America economic and trade relations are entering a new stage, and intellectual property layout has become an indispensable core element for enterprises expanding overseas.

PART 01: Deepening Development of China-LAC Cooperation

Macro Data

China-Latin America economic and trade relations are increasingly close. In 2024, bilateral trade exceeded $500 billion, with China firmly positioned as Latin America's second-largest trading partner.

Industrial Upgrading

From Brazilian beef to Chilean coffee beans, and from new energy vehicles to intelligent equipment manufacturing, China-LAC cooperation is shifting from traditional commodity trade to technological innovation and industrial synergy.

Focus Areas

The summit specifically featured four parallel dialogues on new energy vehicles, intelligent equipment manufacturing, air cargo and cross-border trade, and smart agriculture, highlighting the expansion of cooperation into high-value-added and high-tech fields.

PART 02: Intellectual Property—A Prime Opportunity for Layout

As China-LAC economic and trade cooperation deepens, the importance of intellectual property is becoming increasingly prominent. The 'Managua Initiative for Cooperation between Chinese and Latin American and Caribbean Business Communities' released last year explicitly stated that both sides will enhance exchanges and cooperation in the field of intellectual property and strengthen IP protection.

For Chinese enterprises, Latin America is both a key future market and a region with frequent trademark infringement. Proactive intellectual property layout cannot be ignored.

PART 03: Strategic Approach to IP Layout

The intellectual property system in Latin America is relatively well-established, with most countries adopting the 'first-to-file' principle—meaning rights belong to whoever files first.

Enterprises can leverage international treaties, such as entering markets in member states like Brazil, Mexico, and Chile through the PCT international patent application system. Additionally, the China-Brazil Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) pilot project has been extended until November 30, 2029, injecting new momentum into China-LAC intellectual property cooperation.

PART 04: Prepare Early to Gain the Advantage

Enterprises should fully consider the product launch cycle and plan intellectual property protection in advance. It is advisable to complete trademark registration and patent applications in the target country before exporting products.

At the same time, enterprises can closely monitor opportunities provided by China-LAC cooperation platforms. For example, at this summit, the Zhengzhou Area of the Henan Pilot Free Trade Zone signed a framework cooperation agreement with Chile's Iquique Free Trade Zone. Such cooperation mechanisms will facilitate intellectual property layout for enterprises in Latin America.

In this wave of China-LAC cooperation, intellectual property layout is no longer an 'option' but a 'necessity.'