Event summary

April 16, 2026

8:30 a.m. ET - 3:05 p.m. ET

U.S. Patent and Trademark Office

600 Dulany Street

Madison Building

Alexandria, VA 22314

Add to Calendar2026-04-16 08:30:002026-04-16 08:30:00Strategies for protecting and enforcing intellectual property in China: What East Coast businesses need to know The People’s Republic of China has been among the top destinations for East Coast exports in recent years. But entrepreneurs and commercial owners doing business in or with China may find that their valuable intellectual property (IP) is being infringed there. Even businesses not operating in China may find counterfeit versions of their products in China or the United States, or may discover their trademarks registered in China without their knowledge.On April 16, 2026, participants joined virtually or in person at USPTO headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia, for a program about protecting and enforcing your intellectual property in China and the United States. U.S. government experts, IP attorneys, and local businesspeople shared their insights on how U.S. rights holders can protect and enforce their IP in both countries.Topics included:IP developments in China: Challenges and opportunities in a shifting IP environmentEnforcing IP rights in the United States against Chinese infringementIP and China: The East Coast perspectiveBusiness owners in the East Coast region who were new to conducting business in or with China benefitted from this program, which provided the basic knowledge needed to develop an effective IP strategy.PresentationsIP developments in China: Challenges and opportunities in a shifting IP environment, Michael Mangelson, Intellectual Property Counselor, USPTO, U.S. Embassy, Beijing, ChinaAgenda Agenda is available below. TimeAgenda item8:30 – 9:00 a.m.Registration9:00 – 9:10 a.m.Opening remarks Elaine Wu, Principal Counsel and Director, China Team, Office of Policy and International Affairs (OPIA), USPTO, Alexandria, Virginia Mary Critharis, Chief Policy Officer, OPIA, USPTO, Alexandria, Virginia 9:10 – 9:30 a.m.IP developments in China: Challenges and opportunities in a shifting IP environmentMichael Mangelson, Intellectual Property Counselor, USPTO, U.S. Embassy, Beijing, China (Presenting virtually) 9:30 – 10:30 a.m. Topic 1: Securing IP rights and enforcement options in China Moderator: Larry Lian, Senior Attorney, China Team, OPIA, USPTO, Alexandria, Virginia Speakers: Tom Moga, Member, Dykema, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan Amy Hsiao, Managing Partner, Eligon IP, Atlanta, Georgia 10:30 – 10:40 a.m. Coffee/tea break10:40 – 11:30 a.m.Topic 2: IP enforcement and e-commerce in ChinaModerator: Conrad Wong, Senior Attorney, China Team, OPIA, USPTO, Alexandria, Virginia Speakers: Kebharu Smith, Director, Counterfeit Crimes Unit, Amazon, Washington, D.C. Travis Johnson, Vice President-Legislative Affairs, Senior Counsel, International AntiCounterfeiting Coalition (IACC), Washington, D.C11:30 a.m. to noon Topic 3: Trade secret theft and its effects on U.S. rights holdersModerator: Conrad Wong, Senior Attorney, China Team, OPIA, USPTO, Alexandria, Virginia Speaker: Special Agent Jason Vanthomme, Economic Crime Unit Liaison, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Minneapolis, Minnesota Noon – 1:00 p.m.Networking lunch1:00 – 2:10 p.m. Topic 4: Civil, border, and criminal IP rights enforcement in the United States Moderator: Conrad Wong, Senior Attorney, China Team, OPIA, USPTO, Alexandria, Virginia Speakers: P. Andrew Riley, Partner and Head of Litigation, Mei and Mark, Washington, D.C. Margaret Turchinski, Attorney-Advisor, Intellectual Property Enforcement Branch, Regulations and Rulings, Office of Trade, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Washington, D.C. Mr. Anand Patel, Senior Attorney, Criminal Division, Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS), Department of Justice, Washington, D.C.2:10 – 3:15 p.m. Topic 5: IP and China: The East Coast perspectiveModerator: Elaine Wu, Principal Counsel and Director, China Team, OPIA, USPTO, Alexandria, Virginia Speakers: Elizabeth Regan, Senior Vice President and Assistant General Counsel, Global Intellectual Property, Marriott International, Inc., Bethesda, MarylandAntigone Peyton, General Counsel, SPANX, Atlanta, GeorgiaHugh Pasika, Vice President and Chief IP Counsel, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Waltham, Massachusetts3:15 – 3:20 p.m. Closing remarksElaine Wu, Principal Counsel and Director, China Team, OPIA, USPTO, Alexandria, Virginia Additional informationFor more information, visit the registration page or contact Lakeshia Harley in the USPTO’s Office of Policy and International Affairs. The program is one of a series of China IP Road Shows that the USPTO conducts across the country. For more information about the series, visit the China IP Road Show webpage. U.S. Patent and Trademark Office 600 Dulany Street Madison Building Clara Barton Auditorium Alexandria, VA 22314 United States U.S. Patent and Trademark Office 600 Dulany Street Madison Building Clara Barton Auditorium Alexandria, VA 22314 United States U.S. Patent and Trademark OfficeAmerica/New_Yorkpublic

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Strategies for protecting and enforcing intellectual property in China: What East Coast businesses need to know

Name: Strategies for protecting and enforcing intellectual property in China: What East Coast businesses need to know
Start: 2026-04-16T12:30:00-04:00
End: 2026-04-16T19:05:00-04:00
Location: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office

China IP roadshow graphic with skylines of both China and US

The People’s Republic of China has been among the top destinations for East Coast exports in recent years. But entrepreneurs and commercial owners doing business in or with China may find that their valuable intellectual property (IP) is being infringed there. Even businesses not operating in China may find counterfeit versions of their products in China or the United States, or may discover their trademarks registered in China without their knowledge.

On April 16, 2026, participants joined virtually or in person at USPTO headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia, for a program about protecting and enforcing your intellectual property in China and the United States. U.S. government experts, IP attorneys, and local businesspeople shared their insights on how U.S. rights holders can protect and enforce their IP in both countries.

Topics included:

IP developments in China: Challenges and opportunities in a shifting IP environment
Enforcing IP rights in the United States against Chinese infringement
IP and China: The East Coast perspective

Business owners in the East Coast region who were new to conducting business in or with China benefitted from this program, which provided the basic knowledge needed to develop an effective IP strategy.

Presentations

IP developments in China: Challenges and opportunities in a shifting IP environment, Michael Mangelson, Intellectual Property Counselor, USPTO, U.S. Embassy, Beijing, China

Agenda

Agenda is available below.

Time	Agenda item
8:30 – 9:00 a.m.	Registration
9:00 – 9:10 a.m.	Opening remarks Elaine Wu, Principal Counsel and Director, China Team, Office of Policy and International Affairs (OPIA), USPTO, Alexandria, Virginia Mary Critharis, Chief Policy Officer, OPIA, USPTO, Alexandria, Virginia
9:10 – 9:30 a.m.	IP developments in China: Challenges and opportunities in a shifting IP environment Michael Mangelson, Intellectual Property Counselor, USPTO, U.S. Embassy, Beijing, China (Presenting virtually)
9:30 – 10:30 a.m.	Topic 1: Securing IP rights and enforcement options in China Moderator: Larry Lian, Senior Attorney, China Team, OPIA, USPTO, Alexandria, Virginia Speakers: Tom Moga, Member, Dykema, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan Amy Hsiao, Managing Partner, Eligon IP, Atlanta, Georgia
10:30 – 10:40 a.m.	Coffee/tea break
10:40 – 11:30 a.m.	Topic 2: IP enforcement and e-commerce in China Moderator: Conrad Wong, Senior Attorney, China Team, OPIA, USPTO, Alexandria, Virginia Speakers: Kebharu Smith, Director, Counterfeit Crimes Unit, Amazon, Washington, D.C. Travis Johnson, Vice President-Legislative Affairs, Senior Counsel, International AntiCounterfeiting Coalition (IACC), Washington, D.C
11:30 a.m. to noon	Topic 3: Trade secret theft and its effects on U.S. rights holders Moderator: Conrad Wong, Senior Attorney, China Team, OPIA, USPTO, Alexandria, Virginia Speaker: Special Agent Jason Vanthomme, Economic Crime Unit Liaison, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Noon – 1:00 p.m.	Networking lunch
1:00 – 2:10 p.m.	Topic 4: Civil, border, and criminal IP rights enforcement in the United States Moderator: Conrad Wong, Senior Attorney, China Team, OPIA, USPTO, Alexandria, Virginia Speakers: P. Andrew Riley, Partner and Head of Litigation, Mei and Mark, Washington, D.C. Margaret Turchinski, Attorney-Advisor, Intellectual Property Enforcement Branch, Regulations and Rulings, Office of Trade, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Washington, D.C. Mr. Anand Patel, Senior Attorney, Criminal Division, Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS), Department of Justice, Washington, D.C.
2:10 – 3:15 p.m.	Topic 5: IP and China: The East Coast perspective Moderator: Elaine Wu, Principal Counsel and Director, China Team, OPIA, USPTO, Alexandria, Virginia Speakers: Elizabeth Regan, Senior Vice President and Assistant General Counsel, Global Intellectual Property, Marriott International, Inc., Bethesda, Maryland Antigone Peyton, General Counsel, SPANX, Atlanta, Georgia Hugh Pasika, Vice President and Chief IP Counsel, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Waltham, Massachusetts
3:15 – 3:20 p.m.	Closing remarks Elaine Wu, Principal Counsel and Director, China Team, OPIA, USPTO, Alexandria, Virginia

Additional information

For more information, visit the registration page or contact Lakeshia Harley in the USPTO’s Office of Policy and International Affairs.

The program is one of a series of China IP Road Shows that the USPTO conducts across the country. For more information about the series, visit the China IP Road Show webpage.

Accessibility accommodation

If you are an individual with a disability and would like to request a reasonable accommodation, please submit your request to the contact information listed above.

This event is part of a series: China IP events