China issues outline to build IP powerhouse in next 15 years

Recently, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the State Council jointly issued an outline for building an intellectual property power (2021-2035), depicting a grand blueprint for accelerating the process. "At present, China is transforming from a big IPR importer to a big innovator, and IP work is shifting from the pursuit of quantity to the improvement of quality. As China enters a new stage of development, we are vigorously implementing the new development concept and actively constructing a new development pattern, which is inseparable from the strong support of IPR. The outline lays out a scheme for building of an IP power, and designs a major top-level structure for the IP development in the next 15 years, which is a major milestone in the history of such work," said a relevant principal of China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA).

Setting development goals

The outline provides that by 2025, IP protection will be stricter; social satisfaction will reach and maintain a high level; IP market continues to show its value; and brand competitiveness enhance largely. By 2025, the added value of patent-intensive industries will account for 13% of the GDP, the added value of copyright industries will account for 7.5% of the GDP; the annual total import and export of IP royalties will reach 350 billion yuan, and the number of high-value invention patents per 10,000 heads will reach 12.

In recent years, China's IP protection has made palpable achievements. The legal system of IPR has been gradually improved, and the administrative and judicial protection of IP has been significantly strengthened. Essential patents, well-known trademarks, high-quality copyright and geographical indication products continued to grow. According to the 2021 Global Innovation Index released by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), China's ranking rose from 35th in 2013 to 12th in 2021, leading the middle-income economics and after rising steadily for nine consecutive years."Entering a new stage of development, promoting high-quality development is an inevitable requirement for maintaining sustained and healthy economic development, and the role of IPR as the core element of strategic resources for national development and international competitiveness is more prominent," said the principal.

Implementing key tasks

The outline plans to "build an IP system serving socialist modernization", "build an IP protection system supporting a world-class business environment", "build an IP market operation mechanism encouraging innovation and development", "build a public service system for IP that is convenient for the people" and "build a humanist social environment promoting high-quality development of IP and tasks of "deep participation in global IP governance".

The outline proposes to build a more refined IP legal, management and policy system, build a timely response and reasonable protection of IP rules in emerging and specific fields, improve judicial and administrative protection system, and beef up coordinated protection pattern of unified leadership, smooth connection, speed and efficiency. The outline also focuses on the construction of the cultural and social environment of IPRs, and promotes the realization of higher level protection and higher quality development of IPRs by improving the cultural consciousness of IPRs in the whole society. The outline proposes to shape an IP culture in respecting knowledge, advocating innovation, integrity, law-abiding and fair competition, build an IP culture communication matrix with novel content, diverse forms and integrated development, and create a more open, positive and dynamic IP talent development environment.

Innovation is the first driving force leading development. High quality development puts forward urgent requirements for higher-level creation and more effective application of IPRs. The outline proposes to improve the high-quality creation mechanism of IPRs with enterprises as the main player and market orientation, improve the application mechanism with efficient and smooth operation and full realization of value, and establish a standardized, orderly and dynamic market-oriented operation mechanism. It also requires to strengthen the public service supply for IPRs and establish an information service model with data standards, resource integration and efficient utilization.

"China will also promote the in-depth integration and development of IPRs with economy, science and technology, culture, society and other aspects, so as to contribute to achieving higher quality, more efficient, fairer, more sustainable and safer development and meeting the growing need of the people for a better life," the CNIPA principal added.