WIPO Awards for Chinese Inventors Unveiled

December 15, 2021

Co-hosted by the China Association of Inventions, the BRICS Business Council, the Department of Science and Technology of Guangdong Province, and the Guangdong Provincial Association for Science and Technology, the 25th National Exhibition of Inventions was successfully held in Foshan, Guangdong Province on December 10 to 12, 2021. Mr. Yu Huarong, Executive Vice President and Secretary General of the China Association of Inventions, presided over the Opening Ceremony. Mr. Qi Xuchun, Vice Chairperson of the 12th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, Mr. Wang Xi, Vice Governor of Guangdong Province, Mr. Wu Zhaohui, Chairman of the China Association of Inventions and President of Zhejiang University, and other delegates attended the Opening Ceremony. Ms. Liu Hua, Director of WIPO Office in China (WOC), delivered an opening speech via video.

The Global Innovation Index (GII) 2020 and 2021 showed that China is already an important pole in the world's innovation map and has established itself as a global innovation leader, said Ms. Liu Hua. China is ranked 12th overall in the GII 2021, up two places from last year, and is the only middle-income economy that breaks into the top 15. The World Intellectual Property Indicators (WIPI) report released in November this year reflected that China's domestic IP filing activity boomed in 2020 despite global pandemic. In 2020, the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) received the highest volume of patent, trademark and industrial design applications in the world, accounting for 45.8%, 54% and 55.5% of the world total respectively.

Ms. Liu Hua mentioned that according to the WIPO Medium-Term Strategic Plan (MTSP) 2022-2026 adopted in 2021 WIPO General Assembly, WIPO will promote IP for the benefit of all and ensure that IP undertakings as a powerful catalyst for jobs, investments, economic and social development. To deliver this effectively, WIPO is committed to raising global awareness on intellectual property; to strengthening cooperation with stakeholders worldwide to build the global IP ecosystem; to providing high-quality IP policy forums, IP products and services, databases, and collaboration platforms; and to supporting governments, enterprises and individuals to use intellectual property as a tool for economic growth and sustainable development.

Ms. Liu Hua noted that WIPO's vision is building a world where innovation and creativity from anywhere is supported by IP for the good of everyone, especially for SMEs, youth and women. Presenting the WIPO Awards for the Best Invention, the Best Woman Invention and the Best Youth Invention at this year's National Exhibition of Inventions was an important part of WIPO's implementation of its Medium-Term Strategic Plan.

Ms. Liu Hua stressed that the WOC, as an extension of WIPO in China, will continue to strengthen cooperation and coordination with all sectors in China, especially the Guangdong Province and South China, to provide more targeted, more timely and higher-quality IP services to Chinese IP stakeholders, and to empower China to build an innovative and powerful country with IP rights.

The Best Invention Award went to Mr. Zhou Shaoqi, the inventor of "application of new biological denitrification technology in wastewater treatment for nitrogen fertilizer production".

The Best Woman Invention Award was granted to Ms. Song Chang and her invention of “a high-precision hot-rolled steel sheet for hydro-generator yoke steel and its production method”.

Mr. Xue Haoyuan, the inventor of the "pupil recognition technology-based eye-controlled electric wheelchair", won the Best Youth Invention Award.

About the National Exhibition of Inventions

The National Exhibition of Inventions is one of the highest standard and most influential exhibitions in the field of invention in China. The exhibition has successfully been held in Foshan for the fifth consecutive year. It has become an important platform for China, especially Foshan and Guangdong province to connect global innovative talents, present cutting-edge inventions and innovations, and the building of the global innovation center of science and technology.

Themed on “Invention and Innovation, Self-Reliance and Self-Strengthening”, this year’s National Exhibition of Inventions attracted over 2,000 exhibitors from more than 800 enterprises, universities, and research institutes across the country, with a total of 2,300 inventions and an exhibit area of more than 40,000 square meters. Featured exhibit areas such as “Invention Achievement of National High-tech Development”, “Health” and “Energy Conservation and Environmental Protection” focused on the display of excellent scientific and technological achievements as well as technical skills.