China's IPR sector sees comprehensive enhancement: report

BEIJING - China has seen comprehensive enhancement in the intellectual property rights (IPR) sector over the past decade, with remarkable results, said a report released by the National Intellectual Property Administration (NIPA) on Monday.

Over the 2010-2019 period, the comprehensive development index of China's IPR sector increased from 100 to 279.2, according to the 2019 annual evaluation report on China's IP development.

The annual report was compiled by the Intellectual Property Development and Research Center of NIPA, which began research on the topic in 2012.

The country has achieved all-round development in the IPR sector, with rapid development of intellectual property creation, improved quality and efficiency, and increased benefits of utilization, said the report.

China's comprehensive enhancement in IPR protection has greatly contributed to its socio-economic development. In 2018, the added value of China's patent-intensive industries reached 10.7 trillion yuan (about $1.57 trillion), about 11.6 percent of that year's GDP.

China has also been endeavoring to cultivate a good environment for IPR development, with increasing institutions, professionals and service patterns. In 2019, the number of patent and trademark agencies increased to 51,000 and the number of practicing patent agents exceeded 20,000.

Domestically, Guangdong, Shanghai, Jiangsu, Beijing, Zhejiang and Shandong were the country's top performers in terms of their comprehensive IPR development index.

In the global perspective, China has seen improved international status in terms of general IPR development conditions. Among 40 sample countries, China jumped from 20th place in 2014 to eighth place in 2018, according to the report.

China has taken the global lead in the number of applications for patents. According to the World Intellectual Property Organization, with 59,000 applications filed in 2019 via the Patent Cooperation Treaty System, China overtook the United States as the biggest user of the system.

China has vowed to work with all countries to enhance IPR protection. With the continued growth of patents and strengthened protection efforts, China has basically achieved the goal of building a country with high-level IPR creation, utilization, protection and management.