An intellectual property court began hearing cases Thursday in Changsha, capital of central China's Hunan Province.
According to the Supreme People's Court (SPC), the Changsha court will rule on civil and administrative cases involving patents, new plant varieties, layout designs of integrated circuits, technological secrets, computer software, and well-known trademarks within the jurisdiction of Hunan Province.
The court also handles civil and administrative cases involving trademarks, copyrights, unfair competition, and technology contract disputes within the jurisdiction of Changsha.
Hunan has seen many advanced scientific and technological achievements in recent years, including super computers, super hybrid rice varieties, medium and low speed maglev trains, and deepwater drilling rigs.
The SPC approved the establishment of the court on Feb. 12.
