China plans to revise the patent law for the second time to prepare for a more effective patent system.

Ma Lianyuan, deputy commissioner of the State Intellectual Property Office (SIPO), released several major revision proposals on January 19 at the ongoing national patent conference.

The state hopes the patent law will be suitable for the socialist market economy, Ma said.

The law should also be in synch with international conventions and regulations made by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), he said.

Ma said the existing law does not keep abreast with the country's economic restructuring.

In 1984, China's top legislature approved the first patent law, which was adopted the next year.

The existing law stipulates that state-owned enterprises can not transfer their patents without permission from upper administration, and this is a vestige of the planned economy.

Statistics indicate that between 1985 and 1997, patent applications received by the government increased by an average annual rate of 18.9 percent, and 1999 saw a record high of 134,240 applications.

After the first revision in 1992, China's patent law has basically complied with international conventions. (Xinhua)