China: SIPO and USPTO have signed PPH agreement

On 8 November 2011, the State Intellectual Property Office of China (SIPO) and the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) signed a joint statement of intent to commence two Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) pilot programmes. The one-year pilots will end on 30 November 2012. More information can be found in press releases on the USPTO website and on SIPO's website (currently in Chinese only).