The National Intellectual Property Administration (NIPA) in China continues to clarify the guidelines for blockchain patent applications, which are set to become effective as of Feb. 1.

At the end of December 2019, the NIPA announced the revised guidelines to patent applications for new emerging technologies such as blockchain, artificial intelligence, big data, and business rules and methods.

One example of the revised guidelines is a method and device for secure communication between blockchain nodes. The invention patent application proposes a blockchain node communication method and device that solves the problem where blockchain business nodes leak privacy data while communicating with each other. The guidelines reads:

“Before a business node in a blockchain establishes a communication connection, it can determine whether to establish a communication connection according to the CA certificate carried in the communication request and a pre-configured CA trust list. This reduces the possibility of business nodes leaking private data and improves the security of data stored in the blockchain.”

Analysts said that the revision of the guidelines is in direct response to the needs of the development of new industries such as blockchain. It also reflects China's strategic direction of strengthening intellectual property protection, by being more friendly towards patent applicants in these emerging fields — all of which seems to herald the much-anticipated digital renminbi.

China paves way for its central bank digital currency

China has formally implemented a law governing cryptographic password management as part of its pre-release plans for its central bank digital currency. The Standing Committee of the 13th National People's Congress in China passed the crypto law at the end of October. The law divides passwords at large into three distinct categories — passwords, common passwords, and commercial passwords — and aims to facilitate China’s transition to blockchain technology.