Progress seen in number of foreign patent applications, watchdog says

China's intellectual property development has witnessed remarkable growth and won international acclaim in recent years, said a senior official in the IP sector.

Shen Changyu, commissioner of National Intellectual Property Administration, China's IP watchdog, said the nation's IP industry is becoming a major IP filer and powerhouse worldwide thanks to the effective measures that have been taken in the protection and utilization of IP rights.

Shen made the remarks at the opening ceremony for the 10th China Intellectual Property Annual Conference, which opened in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province on Monday.

"China has surged to 14th place on the list of the Global Innovation Index 2019 released by World Intellectual Property Organization in July, 21 places higher than the year of 2013, thus becoming a leader among the world's mid-income economies," Shen said.

The Global Innovation Index is a globally recognized report that ranks 129 economies based on over 80 indicators, ranging from IP filing rates to mobile-application creation.

So far, over 798,000 patents have been filed by foreign applicants in China, with an annual growth of 3.9 percent year-on-year. Over 1.08 million trademarks have been filed in China, rising an average 10.5 percent year-on-year.

"All this demonstrates that China's IP undertakings have witnessed tremendous growth, winning universal acknowledgment worldwide," he said.

Shen pledged the nation will continue to enhance strict IP protection to provide a sound environment for business and innovation. He also said his administration is working on a strategic IP plan valid through 2035 in a bid to further clarify the strategic goals, thoughts and measures to be taken in the area of IP protection.

Some 10,000 representatives from international organizations, government departments, industrial institutions and global enterprises of 40 regions and countries are attending the conference, looking to exchange insights into the new development trends of the IP industry and strengthen international cooperation.

"With the theme of 'IP: Evolving with the New Era', the conference has 15 sub-forums for participants to discuss a variety of IP-related topics," said Gan Shaoning, vice-commissioner of NIPA, adding that the event is expected to be a platform for idea exchanges and mutual understandings worldwide.

"IP is key to Hangzhou's innovation and high-quality development," said Zhou Jiangyong, Party chief of Hangzhou, host city of this year's CIPAC. The number of registered patents in Hangzhou has reached 55,000 so far, ranking first among provincial capitals in China, according to Zhou.

For AUX, a Zhejiang-based manufacturer of home appliances, the investment in patents has been constantly increased. According to Zheng Jianjiang, chairman of the group, AUX has so far obtained more than 5,400 patents, among which 2,776 were registered in 2018.

"As entrepreneurs, we should embrace innovation with a positive attitude and a broader vision," Zheng said.

Francis Gurry, director-general of WIPO, appreciated China's intensive work on the construction of an IP system, saying the robust rise of the country's global ranking in terms of innovation should be attributed to China's strategy of developing an innovative-driven economy and boosting economic transformation.

"IP is vital to the development of an innovation-driven economy and international trade. It will provide strong support to China's opening-up at a higher level," remarked Shen, the NIPA head.

Qin Jirong contributed to this story.