The revised Implementing Regulations of the Patent Law and revised Guideline for Patent Examination will come into force on January 20, 2024 in China, wherein the CNIPA will abolish the 15-day mailing grace period for response to official notifications issued in electronic form.  This change applies to all notifications and decisions issued on or after January 20, 2024.   However, responses to notifications and decisions issued before January 20, 2024 can still use the 15-day mailing grace period.   

The revised Implementing Regulations of the Patent Law and revised Guideline for Patent Examination bring some other important changes also, for example, restoration of priority claim within two months grace period after expiration of 12-month priority deadline, adding and/or correcting priority claim within four months from Chinese filing date or within 16 months from the earliest priority date whichever is later, acceptance of priority restored in PCT international phase,  Incorporation by Reference to priority application document, examination of partial design patent applications,  Patent Term Adjustment,  Patent Term Extension for new drug related patents, Hague registration, etc.