In a recent release, the Supreme People's Court (SPC) awarded 100 groups and 150 individuals for their outstanding performance in intellectual property (IP) trial work. The 1st Comprehensive Division of the Beijing Internet Court (BIC) and its vice-presiding judge Zhu Ge were included on the award list.

1st Comprehensive Division - outstanding unit on IP trial work

Since its establishment in May 2019, the 1st Comprehensive Division of the BIC has accepted 12,230 internet-related IP cases, and concluded 11,566 of them, with the number of cases closed per judge among the top in Beijing's courts. A series of these cases were typical cases and the first of their kind bearing national and even global influence.

To name a few, its copyright case on whether a short video constitutes work was included in the top 10 IP cases in Chinese courts, top 10 media law cases, and top 10 hot IP cases in 2018; its copyright case on AI-generated works, the world's first such case, was selected as one of top 10 copyright cases of the International Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property (AIPPI) China in 2019;and its copyright case on providing barrier-free works, China's first such case, was included in the AIPPI China’s top 10 copyright cases in 2021. The division issued a preservation ruling against illegal live broadcasting during the Qatar World Cup finals. This case was included in the SPC's work report during the annual two sessions in 2023.

The division proactively participated in integrated copyright governance in Beijing. It cooperated with the Beijing Public Security Bureau and Beijing Justice Bureau to build a copyright governance grid covering civil, administrative and criminal areas to crack down on illegal online industries and protect businesses’ rights. It broke data barriers between government departments and court, debuted the Copyright Chain-Tianping Blockchain co-governance platform at the 2020 China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS), and released a 2.0 version at the 2022 CIFTIS.

To mark World Intellectual Property Day, which falls on April 26 every year, the division will hold a press conference concerning online IP protection. It has created its own legal publicity brand and released a series of legal education short videos on its official online platforms, interpreting laws through typical cases. Their first 10 videos have received over 12 million views online.

It is also a major force in researching frontline issues such as blockchain, short videos, and online gaming.

Zhu Ge - outstanding individual on IP trial work

Zhu Ge, vice-presiding judge of the 1st Comprehensive Division of the BIC, has long worked on front-line trial work of civil, commercial and IP matters, with solid legal expertise and rich trial experience. She has properly handled a series of major online IP cases with high social attention. She has participated in the organization of major IP-related press conferences, symposiums and workshops. She is also good at research and learning, writing award-winning judicial suggestions and publishing over 20 articles in legal journals.