Just like many other fields, intellectual property (IP) development in China is currently undergoing a transition, seeing a greater focus on quality rather than a simple scale expansion. The latest efforts from China's top IP regulator were presented at a press conference on Monday, highlighting how this significant shift contributes to economic growth and international engagement. 

INNOVATIVE GROWTH 

Shen Changyu, head of the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA), noted the progress China has made in generating high-value IP, a key indicator of a country's innovation performance. With a population of 1.4 billion, China's ownership of high-value invention patents had climbed to 12.9 patents per 10,000 people by June this year, surpassing the national target set for the end of 2025. 

Certain high-value patents produced by universities and research institutions have already been utilized in advanced, smart and green industries. And the contributions that patent-intensive sectors have made to China's GDP have risen to 12.7 percent, Shen said, citing the latest data and stressing the role of IP in driving innovative growth. 

A girl interacts with an artificial intelligence robot at the fourth China International Consumer Products Expo in Haikou, capital city of south China's Hainan Province, April 15, 2024. (Xinhua/Guo Cheng)

To support the development of emerging industries, China has continuously improved its patent examination efficiency for big data, artificial intelligence (AI) and gene technologies. 

And the impact is particularly evident in the field of AI. According to the CNIPA, there were 378,000 effective AI invention patents in China by the end of 2023, representing a year-on-year growth rate of over 40 percent, which is 1.4 times higher than the global average. 

China has also taken the global lead in number of generative AI patent applications, the World Intellectual Property Organization reported earlier this month. 

The surge in invention patents from industries such as AI has demonstrated strong innovation in the digital economy, which has been a crucial engine driving China's economic growth, senior CNIPA official Ge Shu said at the press conference. 

German exhibitors demonstrate simulated flying of aircraft at the low-altitude economy exhibition area at the World Intelligence Expo 2024 in north China's Tianjin, June 20, 2024. (Xinhua/Sun Fanyue)

INTERNATIONAL ENGAGEMENT 

The term "international engagement" was heard frequently on Monday. Officials repeatedly emphasized the importance of emerging industries' participation in international IP governance, the implementation of strict punitive measures according to the highest global standards for IP protection, and enhanced IP cooperation with the rest of the world. 

Shen said that China has signed agreements and established bilateral IP cooperation deals with 57 Belt and Road Initiative partner countries. Over the past decade, it has provided training to more than 1,200 IP officials and practitioners from those countries. And China's patent authorizations in the 57 countries have been growing at an average annual rate of 20 percent, with invention patents related to digital and green technologies experiencing even faster growth. 

And, without a doubt, China's IP has also gained international recognition. 

The number of foreigners applying for patent protection in China has been increasing. In the first half of this year, foreign applicants filed 78,000 invention patent applications in China, with that figure seeing year-on-year growth of 13.1 percent. Japan accounted for the highest number of applications, followed by the United States and the Republic of Korea. 

A participant competes with an AI chess robot in the game of Chinese chess during activities marking the 50th anniversary of cooperation between China and the World Intellectual Property Organization in Geneva, Switzerland, on July 6, 2023.  (Xinhua/Lian Yi)

Committed to creating a fair business environment and ensuring strong IP protection for foreign enterprises, China has intensified its efforts to enhance legislation, implement efficient dispute resolution mechanisms, and establish regular communication channels to support foreign enterprises. 

"Over the past year, we resolved several IP disputes involving companies from the United States, Germany, France, Italy, Thailand and Denmark. Our efforts have received high praise from foreign companies," said Hu Wenhui, deputy commissioner of the CNIPA. 

China will enhance international IP cooperation further and align high-standard international economic and trade rules proactively, enabling foreign companies to benefit from the country's development in an improved manner, Hu added.