Innovation, China's next big thing

In 2019, China ranked 14th in the Global Innovation Index. Published by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), the index is a leading reference for measuring an economy's performance in innovation. China is the only developing country among the top fifteen economies – and also the only one that is steadily rising up the rankings.

How did China manage it?

A key factor is the infrastructure support provided by the country's intellectual property system. 

Speaking to CGTN, Shen Changyu, Commissioner of China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA), said: "When you protect IP, you protect innovation. We're always strengthening IP protection and making it a basic guarantee for innovation."

China's IP system

China's IP system, born out of the needs in the early days of the country's reform and opening up, has worked steadily to create an environment in which patents and intellectual property are protected, in such a way that the country's own interests are served while respecting international practice. China is a signatory to virtually every major international intellectual property treaty.

"China has an extremely important role to play in supporting the international system." said Francis Gurry, Director-General of WIPO, in an exclusive interview with CGTN. "The international approach is not always convenient for an individual country, because you cannot get your own way completely. You have to compromise and listen and be attentive to the interests of others, and at the end come out with something that's going to suit everyone."

More on the CGTN documentary 'A Remarkable Journey'

CGTN documentary, "A Remarkable Journey – The Story of Patents in China" takes an inside look at how China has built up its IP system in the last four decades and how the system functions to support the country's innovation. Please tune in to CGTN, at 13:00 Beijing Time, this Saturday.