Jakarta. Indonesia is reaching out to China to rally broader international support for its initiative to establish a fair global copyright royalty system, ahead of formal discussions at the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in Geneva this December.

Justice Minister Supratman Andi Agtas met with Chinese officials during the China–ASEAN Heads of Intellectual Property Offices Meeting in Xi’an on Sunday, where he urged Beijing to endorse Jakarta’s proposal for a Legally Binding Instrument on the Governance of Copyright Royalty in the Digital Environment.

“We highly value and appreciate the support of the People’s Republic of China as a WIPO member in advancing this collective effort. This initiative is crucial to ensuring fair, transparent, and sustainable copyright royalty governance in the digital era,” Supratman said in a statement on Monday.

He stressed that intellectual property (IP) development is a key pillar of Indonesia’s national growth agenda, adding that the government is modernizing domestic IP frameworks -- including policies allowing IP certificates to be used as collateral for bank loans to support MSMEs and local entrepreneurs.

According to Supratman, China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) Commissioner Shen Changyu expressed support for Indonesia’s proposal, while noting that China would need more time to study it in detail.

On Monday, Supratman and Chinese officials also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on bilateral IP cooperation, replacing a previous agreement that expired on June 18, 2024.

The new MoU focuses on strengthening IP systems in both countries, covering patents, industrial designs, trademarks, and geographical indications. It also includes provisions for strategic dialogue, exchange of best practices in IP examination, and joint human resource development programs.

In addition, both sides signed a separate MoU on the Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) to expedite patent examinations through the exchange of examination results and mutual recognition of substantive decisions between the two countries.