The number of China's invention patents related to core sectors of the digital economy continued to increase last year, especially in the field of artificial intelligence (AI). “As a hot area of technological creativity, innovation in the digital economy was very active in 2023, becoming an important engine of economic growth,” Ge Shu, Director of the China Intellectual Property Administration’s Strategic Planning Department, told a news conference. The number of China’s authorized invention patents in the core industries of the digital economy reached 406,000 in 2023, with an average annual growth rate of 21% in the past five years. By the end of last year, a total of 150,000 domestic enterprises had invention patents regarding the digital economy, an increase of 31,000 over the previous year, he said, noting “innovation in the AI field in particular is more robust”. Specifically, the number of valid AI-related invention patents in China rose to 378,000 last year, a year-on-year growth of more than 40% and also 1.4 times the global average growth rate, he said.
Promoting the digital economy and establishing an efficient system for the comprehensive management of IP rights were written into the resolution adopted at the Third Plenum of the 20th Communist Party of China Central Committee, which concluded in Beijing on July 18. Stressing that protecting IP rights protects innovation, Shen Changyu, Director of the China Intellectual Property Administration, called for deepening IP reforms by incentivizing innovation. He said that IP transformation and application should be boosted to help the country achieve self-reliance in science and technology at a higher level. In addition, he urged greater efforts to serve high-level opening-up by deepening IP management and reforms, with stronger participation in IP global governance and formulation of relevant rules. “We must continuously uphold the principle of equally protecting every enterprise, regardless of whether it is domestic or foreign, so as to attract more global resources by creating a market-oriented, law-based and internationalized business environment,” he added. Over 5,000 foreign and joint-venture companies were registered at 115 national-level IP protection centers across China as of last year, “which means they can enjoy the same IP-related services as domestic innovators through quick channels,” said Hu Wenhui, Deputy Director of the Administration.
The Administration increased communication with foreign enterprises and helped them to deal with IP-related disputes in China. “For instance, since the beginning of last year, we’ve helped innovators from many countries, including the United States, Germany, France, Italy, Thailand and Denmark successfully solve IP-related lawsuits, receiving their praise,” Hu added. By the end of June, the number of valid foreign invention patents in China had reached 919,000, while valid trademarks were up 2.13 million, representing increases of 3.9% and 3.8% respectively year-on-year. “These figures demonstrate that foreign enterprises have attached great importance to the Chinese market, and have full confidence in our IP protection,” he said, as reported by the China Daily.
