Welcome to the latest instalment of Managing IP’s ‘Five minutes with’ series, where we learn more about IP practitioners on a personal as well as a professional level. This time we have Yanfeng Xiong, Deputy General Manager at China Patent Agent (HK).
Someone asks you at a party what you do for a living. What do you say?
I work in patent prosecution and litigation. I’m not much of a party person unless it’s a gathering of IP practitioners.
Talk us through a typical working day.
I usually wake up around 6am. The first thing I do is check and respond to urgent messages or emails, often from international clients. There can be several rounds of correspondence early in the morning. Between 7am and 8am, I typically go for a jog or practice basketball in my neighborhood—recently, I’ve been working on my three-point shots. While exercising, I listen to the news to stay updated on global developments and mentally prepare for the clients’ inquiries that I’ll need to address.
After my morning routine, I head to the office and start reviewing reports from our team leaders. Our firm’s key clients are spread across the globe. The team leaders are tasked with gathering and providing major updates related to their clients, such as the latest examination trends from patent offices, recent court decisions, and statistics within relevant technical fields, as well as other issues that may interest the client.
Our firm handles the largest number of foreign-inbound patent applications in China each year. Over the decades, we’ve accumulated extensive experience in addressing complex issues. The internal sharing of individual attorneys’ expertise further enhances our firm’s competitive edge.
Our team closely monitors global hot topics such as standard-essential patents (SEPs) and patent linkage in China, the US, and Europe. We consistently follow recent administrative and judicial decisions to optimise our litigation strategies in real time.
In the evenings, since joining the Bureau of AIPPI as Assistant Reporter General last October, I spend several nights a month in online meetings with lawyers from Europe and America to discuss recent IP developments worldwide. Although this work is demanding and time-consuming, it is also incredibly rewarding and meaningful. The global network we’ve built through AIPPI and the international perspective I bring to our team are invaluable. We believe this global vision is essential for managers leading teams at top-tier firms.
What are you working on at the moment?
China is striving to foster high-quality development in IP, shifting from being a major importer of IP to a major creator, and from pursuing quantity to improving quality. In 2024, China granted 1 million invention patents, concluded 67,000 patent reexamination and invalidation cases, and further reduced the examination cycle for invention patents to 15.5 months.
The CNIPA and other national agencies are committed to promoting balanced protection, ensuring fair treatment of foreign parties’ rights and interests in China while strengthening the protection of domestic parties’ rights overseas. In this context, our firm has been working hard to maintain a market-oriented, rule-of-law, and internationalised business environment to safeguard foreign investment while preparing domestic enterprises for global expansion by helping them build robust global IP portfolios.
Additionally, our firm is committed to supporting the China International Supply Chain Expo (CISE) by providing IP rights protection services. The first and second editions of CISCE were held in Beijing with great success, and the third event is scheduled for mid-July 2025. Our team will continue contributing to the event by offering IP rights protection services, among other things.
Does one big piece of work usually take priority, or are you juggling multiple things?
As part of the top management at the firm handling the largest number of inbound patent applications in China, I’m quite accustomed to multitasking. I find the classic four-quadrant time management rule particularly useful. I prioritise tasks based on whether they are ‘important and urgent,’ ‘important but not urgent,’ ‘unimportant but urgent,’ or ‘unimportant and not urgent.’ This approach helps me and my team allocate our time and energy effectively. That said, the ultimate goal of all our efforts is to ensure client satisfaction.
What is the most exciting aspect of your role, and what is the most stressful?
Our firm has one of the best talent pools in China. Every year, we recruit top graduates from leading universities in China and abroad. With the rapid growth of China’s IP industry, many of these young professionals are ambitious and determined to pursue careers as patent attorneys.
Cultivating these young talents and guiding them to become leading IP professionals in our country is both the most stressful and the most exciting aspect of my role.
Tell us the key characteristics that make a successful IP lawyer/practitioner.
Always go the extra mile for clients. Additionally, a consistent willingness and passion for learning in both legal and technological fields are crucial – staying updated on new court decisions and advancements in cutting-edge technologies is essential.
What is the most common misconception about IP?
People often assume that patent litigators must have technical backgrounds.
What or who inspires you?
I draw inspiration from my colleagues, clients, and even opposing counsels. I have ultimate respect for the trailblazers of China’s patent industry from 40 years ago.
If you weren’t in IP, what would you be doing?
I would pursue team sports like basketball. I enjoy working collaboratively, advancing as a team, and achieving collective success by bringing out the best in each teammate.
Any advice you would give your younger self?
Keep pursuing your passion, and you will succeed.
What is your motto in life?
知行合一。
This is concept from Chinese philosophy, particularly associated with the Ming Dynasty Confucian scholar Wang Yangming. It can be translated as ‘Unity of Knowledge and Action’ or ‘Integration of Knowledge and Practice.’ This principle underscores the idea that true knowledge is inseparable from action; one's understanding of a concept is only complete when it is put into practice.
