Based on a Sankei Shimbun editorial, this article examines the significance of Singapore’s Daren Tang defeating the Chinese candidate in the election for director general of the World Intellectual Property Organization.
Through issues such as intellectual property theft, China’s influence over international organizations, and cases involving the WHO and ICPO, it warns against China’s use of international rules for its own national interests.

March 12, 2020
If Ms. Wang were to become director general, there would be a risk that information related to intellectual property would flow to the Chinese government, and an American newspaper reported that it would be “like choosing a robber as bank president.”
The following is from today’s Sankei Shimbun editorial.
Stop China’s arrogance.
A person from a country that does not observe international norms or rules would become the head of an organization responsible for making rules.
The feared situation was avoided.
It may be said that the good sense of the international community was shown.
An election was held for the next director general of the World Intellectual Property Organization, WIPO, a United Nations specialized agency headquartered in Geneva that promotes the protection and use of intellectual property such as patents and trademarks.
Daren Tang, the head of Singapore’s Intellectual Property Office, supported by the United States and others, defeated Wang Binying, a WIPO deputy director general from China, in the runoff vote.
Before the election, it had been reported that the Chinese side held a large lead by working on developing countries with offers of economic support and debt relief.
It was the United States that reversed this.
Because of intellectual property violations by China, including the theft of secret information from American companies through cyberattacks, the United States is forced to suffer annual losses of 225 billion dollars, about 24 trillion yen, to 600 billion dollars.
The issue of intellectual property is the greatest issue in U.S.-China friction.
If Ms. Wang were to become director general, there would be a risk that information related to intellectual property would flow to the Chinese government, and an American newspaper reported that it would be “like choosing a robber as bank president.”
Japan also withdrew its candidate from the Patent Office in February and supported Mr. Tang together with the United States.
The role of international organizations is to coordinate the interests of countries based on rules and to serve the interests of the international community.
A high degree of neutrality is required of their leaders.
However, in international organizations headed by people from China, words and actions that openly pursue China’s own interests stand out.
Among the 15 specialized agencies of the United Nations, four are currently headed by people from China.
Even apart from Chinese nationals, Tedros, the director general of the World Health Organization, WHO, is from Ethiopia, a country that receives large amounts of money from China.
Since taking office, he has shut out Taiwan, and in the fight against the new coronavirus, he has continued to make pro-China remarks.
The year before last, the Chinese president of the International Criminal Police Organization, ICPO, disappeared while back in China.
The Chinese government did not respond to ICPO’s request for an inquiry.
Later, it became clear that he had been detained, and in January this year he was found guilty of bribery.
Domestic circumstances are given priority, and the common sense of the international community does not apply.
China seeks to control top appointments and use them to its own advantage.
At the same time, it ignores the ruling of the arbitral tribunal in The Hague that denied China’s territorial claims in the South China Sea.
Such arrogance must not be allowed.
The WIPO director general election should become a fitting precedent for the future.