On Intellectual Property Protection in the Development and Application of Chinese Space Stations

The conduction of scientific research activities in Chinese space stations has triggered numerous issues that related to intellectual property protection. The intellectual property protection of Chinese space stations has its particularities. At the meantime, as an key carrier to China's domestic and foreign policy, Chinese space station needs appropriate intellectual property protection which would also promote international space cooperation. However, the space legislation in China is still inadequate with lots of blank space in the legislation of intellectual property. Also, because of the distinct characteristics of intellectual property, there are conflicts between Chinese space stations intellectual property and international Space law. Therefore, in order to protect Chinese space stations intellectual property with efficiency, the paper suggests that we need adequate nationwide intellectual property legislation and proactivity in the introduction of intellectual property protection of Chinese space stations in international conventions through a bilateral and multilateral protocol.