Creativity, Protection of Ideas Safeguarded

Nation developing sector to ensure economic growth, says intellectual property chief official

China is making systematic plans to promote the intellectual property sector's development with higher-quality creation, higher-level protection and more efficient application, said Shen Changyu, head of the National Intellectual Property Administration. He was speaking at the 12th China International Patent Fair, which was held in Dalian, Liaoning province, from Nov 11-13.

"High-quality economic development cannot be achieved without the strong support of intellectual property," Shen said.

Nearly 3,000 domestic enterprises and institutions participated in the fair. CNIPA launched several platforms and activities during the fair to help participants conduct transactions via its virtual showrooms and IP big data.

Patent winners for inventions and utility models were also awarded at the fair. The top 30 winners of the Awards for Outstanding Chinese Patented Inventions are all involved in major industries and core technologies.

"The awards are important for promoting the high-quality development of IP and the fair is a high-end platform to display and trade in outstanding patent achievements," Shen said.

Shen said he expected the participants to make full use of the platform and explore new ideas, models and measures for the transaction and application of patent technologies, so as to provide support for high-quality economic development through the application of patents.

Jiangsu Kanion Pharmaceutical is among the top 30 winners with its patented preparation containing ginkgolide, a medicinal substance extracted from ginkgo, as well as its production technology.

The pharmaceutical company has developed an innovative drug targeting ischemic strokes, which can improve cerebral blood circulation and is neuroprotective.

"We were awarded this important honor as a representative of innovative traditional Chinese medicine enterprises," said Xiao Wei, president of Kanion Pharmaceutical.

"It is not only a great affirmation for Kanion's long-term roots in TCM innovation, but also a demonstration of the State's strong encouragement to TCM innovation in IP protection," he said.

Jointly presented by CNIPA and the World Intellectual Property Organization, the award is a top honor in the country's invention patent field.

The influence of the award has gradually increased in recent years and it has become the most important IP award for technological innovation and creativity in China, said Daren Tang, director-general of WIPO, in a video message to the awards ceremony.

China's innovation-driven development strategy holds great promise and WIPO is willing to continue cooperating with China in the field of IP and innovation, he said.

Statistics from CNIPA show the level of IP creation in China continues to rise.

In 2015, the number of invention patent applications in China exceeded 1 million for the first time. In 2016, the number of valid invention patents in China reached 1 million.

The number of international patent applications filed via the Patent Cooperation Treaty increased from 6,081 in 2008 to 58,990 in 2019.

China surpassed the United States to become the top source of international patent applications in 2019.

Source: China Daily