Zhuhai designated demonstration city on IPR protection

Zhuhai was included in the list of China's first batch of demonstration cities on intellectual property construction, which was released by the China National Intellectual Property Administration on Aug 4. It will have this title until June 2025.

The city has achieved remarkable outcomes in IP protection. It has granted 163,468 patents by the end of June 2022, as well as 26,997 effective invention patents. The ownership of invention patents in Zhuhai reached 109.45 per 10,000 people, ranking second in Guangdong Province for 11 consecutive years. It has won 166 China Patent Awards, including seven golden and 10 silver prizes.

Zhuhai has released various preferential policies to offer more support to IP protection and help increase the IP protection capacity of entities that innovate. The China (Zhuhai) IP Protection Center has been built with high standards, offering fast and coordinated IP protection for the high-end equipment manufacturing, home appliances, and electrical industries.

Eight IP associations, covering aspects like air conditioners and biomedicine, have been set up while China's first technology patent pool for air conditioners has been established in the city. In addition, a patent information service platform for Zhuhai's seven major industries has now started to offer free service for enterprises.

Efforts have also been made in optimizing the operation mechanism of IP collateral financing risk compensation funds to promote IP financing innovation. Seventeen IP collateral financing projects have been completed in the first seven months of 2022, with total financing amount of 1.09 billion yuan ($162.35 million). A new way in securitization of IP will be paved out and 200 million yuan ($30 million) will be allocated to regional hi-tech enterprises. 

A brand cultivation guidance station in Jinwan District [Photo by Zhong Fan / WeChat account: zhuhaifabu]

The Hengqin International IP Trade Center has received the title of "Technology & Innovation Support Center" by the World Intellectual Property Organization and set up one IPR protection service workstation, as well as five brand cultivation guidance stations in major industrial parks and universities, initially forming an IP public service mechanism covering the entire city. Integrated services on IP management, rights protection, and patent databases are now available in the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin. 

Five major tasks for Zhuhai's IP development in the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-25) were put forward by the Zhuhai Market Regulation Bureau, such as strengthening IP protection capacity in an all-round way and systematically optimizing the IP public service mechanism. 

It is expected that Zhuhai's overall IP strength will be significantly increased by 2025 to become a powerful IP city with outstanding innovation capacity, comprehensive protection systems, advanced application efficiency, and excellent public services.