IPR Photo:VCG

China will further promote the opening up of intellectual property rights (IPRs) at a deeper level, as well as strengthening international cooperation with all parties, including the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), in order to make more contributions to the balanced, inclusive and sustainable development of global IPRs, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday.

Wang Wenbin, a spokesperson from the ministry, made the remarks during a routine press briefing in Beijing, when asked about positive comments from Daren Tang, director general of the WIPO, about China's progress in IPR protection and commercialization.

During an interview with China Media Group on October 27, Tang said that China's achievements in IPR protection and commercialization are impressive, and the WIPO looks forward to strengthening cooperation with China.

A report released by the WIPO in September showed that China's global ranking in innovation rose to 12th, becoming the only middle-income economy to enter the top 30, surpassing some developed economies, including Japan and Canada.

In 2020, China's spending on research and development reached 2.443 trillion yuan ($381.95 billion), the second-highest globally, accounting for 2.4 percent of the country's GDP. 

Moreover, China has submitted more than 68,000 international patent applications, becoming the country with the highest number of international patent applications for two consecutive years. 

Wang attributed these achievements to the wisdom and diligence of the Chinese people and the Chinese government's robust efforts in IP strategies and innovation-driven development. He said that China will further promote the opening up of IPRs to a broader field and make more contributions to the balanced, inclusive and sustainable development of global IPRs. 

On October 28, the State Council, China's cabinet, released a 5-year plan for IPRs, saying that China will establish a punitive compensation system targeting IP infringements, as well as increasing the levels of compensation payable.

In 2020, China released the Civil Code and completed a new round of amendments to the Patent Law and the Copyright Law, further improving the legal system for IPR protection. 

China has established 54 IPR protection centers and 22 sub-centers for overseas IPR dispute guidance, contributing to the improvement of China's IPR system, Wang said.

While building a strong IPR framework, China has actively participated in the global governance of IPR, joining almost all major international conventions on IPR and rolling out practical measures to protect the legitimate rights of IPR owners at home and abroad.