IPR a strong catalyst for innovation

In recent years China has witnessed a series of remarkable developments that underscore its growing innovation capabilities across technology and culture. On the scientific and technological front, the emergence of DeepSeek, an advanced large language model, has attracted widespread attention for its cutting-edge natural language processing capabilities. With transformative applications spanning education, healthcare, and business, DeepSeek exemplifies China's strength in driving new breakthroughs in artificial intelligence. On the cultural front, Ne Zha 2, a record-breaking animated film, reimagines traditional Chinese mythology with innovative storytelling and state-of-the-art visual effects, demonstrating how China is leveraging its rich heritage to create compelling narratives that resonate globally.

These groundbreaking advancements represent just a snapshot of China's innovation achievements. The 2025 Government Work Report highlights substantial progress in key areas such as integrated circuits, AI, quantum technology, and beyond. Among the notable milestones, the Chang'e 6 mission was the first to successfully collect samples from the far side of the moon, while the ocean-drilling vessel, Mengxiang (dream in English) marked a significant leap in deep-sea exploration.

In the realm of quantum computing, the Zuchongzhi-3 quantum computer, with its 105 qubits, has outperformed global benchmarks in random circuit sampling, moving closer to practical quantum computing applications.

Meanwhile, rapid advancements in 6G technology promise to revolutionize communications by enhancing speed, reducing latency, and bridging the physical and digital worlds, laying the foundation for the Internet of Intelligence. Additionally, embodied intelligence is making strides, with humanoid robots – featured prominently during the 2025 CCTV Spring Festival Gala – heralding the deeper integration of AI into daily life and industrial applications.

China's innovation leadership is further reflected in its rising position in the Global Innovation Index, the World Intellectual Property Organization's annual ranking of the world's most innovative economies. In 2024, China climbed to 11th place, maintaining its distinction as the only middle-income economy in the GII Top 15 for many years. Notably, China ranks first in eight of the 78 GII indicators, including domestic market scale, state of cluster development, high-tech exports, and creative goods exports. The 2024 GII also highlighted that China leads the world with 26 of the top 100 science and technology clusters, holding this position for the second consecutive year.

At the heart of these achievements lies intellectual property, which serves as a vital driver of innovation. Recent data from the China National Intellectual Property Administration underscores this trend: in 2024, Chinese applicants filed 69,300 international patent applications — the highest globally — via WIPO's Patent Cooperation Treaty. Similarly, China led in international design filings under WIPO's Hague System with 4,868 designs included in its Hague filings, and Chinese applicants recorded 7,039 international trademark registrations through WIPO's Madrid System. Domestically, China continues to lead the world in patent, trademark, design filings, and copyright registrations. These figures reflect the increasing recognition among Chinese innovators and businesses that IP is a powerful tool for transforming ideas into marketable assets and securing their competitive edge both at home and abroad.

China's longstanding commitment to innovation and IP protection has fostered the development of a robust IP ecosystem that fuels technological and creative progress. The 2025 Government Work Report reaffirms the country's strategic focus on enhancing its innovation system, with IP protection positioned as a key enabler of this vision. This aligns closely with WIPO's global perspective on IP as a catalyst for economic growth, job creation, and business expansion.

Building on over 50 years of strong cooperation with China, WIPO remains committed to deepening its partnership with the country to support its innovation-driven development. As a bridge between the WIPO headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, and China, the WIPO Office in China is dedicated to engaging with frontier technologies, emerging industrial leaders, and dynamic innovation clusters. Through tailored and high-quality IP services, the WIPO Office in China will continue to contribute to China's journey toward a more innovative and globally competitive future.

Liu Hua, director of the World Intellectual Property Organization's China office.