Intellectual Property Drives Innovation in Asia

April 22, 2022

The Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) Annual Conference 2022 Roundtable on Intellectual Property in Asia: Trends and Opportunities, jointly organized by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and the BFA, was held in Boao on April 20. It was an important part of the BFA Annual Conference 2022 and one of the World Intellectual Property Day 2022 series activities. Mr. Li Baodong, Secretary General of the BFA, delivered a welcome remarks. Mr. Zhang Jianchun, Vice Minister of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, Mr. Shen Changyu, Commissioner of the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA), Ms. Liu Hua, Director of WIPO Office in China, and other invited speakers attended and addressed at the roundtable.

Li Baodong pointed out that innovation and creation have played increasing role in promoting economic and social development, and intellectual property (IP), as a primary engine for promoting scientific and technological progress, promoting industrial upgrading and achieving sustainable development, tops the BFA agenda.

Liu Hua said that China has a great potential in the global innovation and creation landscape. Against the background of uncertainty due to centenary changes coupled with the Pandemic, the IP filings under the WIPO's global registration system have increased by at least 60 percent over the last decade. This reflected the increasing investments in innovative and creative industries, as well as an increasing importance of protecting these investments through IP. Ms. Liu further noted that as the global center of innovation is shifting to Asia, China's innovation performance is particularly strong. The Global Innovation Index (GII) 2021, a flagship report of WIPO shows that China ranks 12th in 2021, still being the only middle-income economy breaking into the top15, with another 9 key indicators ranking first globally, including the filings of patents, utility models, designs, trademarks by origin and the creative goods exports. 

Ms. Liu also pointed out that IP has a great potential towards the construction of China's innovation-driven country. In recent years, the Chinese government has put in place a series of important policy documents in the field of IP. IP protection has been included in the 14th Five-Year Plan, and the Outline for Building an IP Powerhouse (2021-2035), which sets out for the first time the target of 12 high-value invention patents per 10,000 people by 2025. On May 5, 2022, the Hague Agreement and the Marrakesh Treaty will come into force in China, and WIPO will fully support the implementation of the two treaties in China.

Ms. Liu also expressed that the BFA has a great potential in leading Asia in the construction of new and innovative economy. Starting from 2021, WIPO has cooperated with the BFA to incorporate IP into the permanent agenda of the BFA. WIPO is willing to work with partners to strengthen cooperation in frontier technologies such as AI, big data, cloud computing and Metaverse, harnessing in joint efforts the developments and trends of Asia in the centenary changes, building a innovation hub in Asia, using IP as a powerful tool for growth, development and prosperity. 

Zhang Jianchun pointed out that China's copyright undertaking is ushering in an unprecedented historical opportunity. Firstly, Chinese government attaches great importance to IP work and plans it scientifically. Secondly, as China enters a new stage of development, the support and promotion role of copyright work in building a new development pattern and promoting high quality development stands prominent. Thirdly, the comprehensive improvement of copyright protection has increasingly become an important initiative for China to further open up to the outside world. Mr. Zhang then stressed that China's copyright work will continuously improve the level of modernization of the copyright governance system and governance capacity. Copyright shall serve to encourage innovation and creativity, to lead high-quality development, and to promote the communication and appreciation among civilizations.

Shen Changyu expressed that over the years, China has come out with a road of intellectual property development with Chinese characteristics, which has acquired remarkable achievements. Openness promotes development and cooperation seeks a win-win situation. In future, the CNIPA will work with national IP authorities of other countries to build a more dynamic and efficient global IP system to promote economic recovery and mutual development in the post-epidemic era.

The roundtable was moderated by Ms. Xia Junli, President of Hainan Free Trade Port Intellectual Property Court. Panelists including Mr. Tu Guangshao, Executive Director, Shanghai Advanced Institute of Finance of Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Mr. Luiz Henrique Do Amaral, President of the International Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property (AIPPI), Mr. Kiyoshi MORI, Commissioner of the Japan Patent Office, Mr. Bai Tao, Mayor of Foshan Municipality of Guangdong Province, Ms. Rena LEE, Chief Executive of Singapore Intellectual Property Office, Ms.HU Shengtao, Director, Intellectual Property Department of Technology Development Committee of Ping An Insurance (Group) Company of China, Ltd., Mr. YU Xiang, Director, Sino-European Institute for Intellectual Property of the Huazhong University of Science and Technology and Mr. Tonny XIE, Director of Bluetech Clean Air Alliance made their observations at the event. Topics including how should we highlight Asian features in the global IP governance system, how will the IP policies vary in major Asian countries and regions, what IP opportunities and risks will enterprises face in the process of coping with new technologies, new business models and new trends, how should we strengthen cooperation and improve efficiency in cross-regional IP protection were discussed.

About the Boao Forum for Asia

Headquartered in China, the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) is an international organization jointly initiated by 29 member states. BFA holds its annual conference in Boao, Hainan on an annual basis. The founding purpose of BFA was to promote economic integration in Asia. Its mission now is to pool positive energy for the development of Asia and the world. It now has become a high-level dialogue platform for the political, business and academic leaders from Asia and other continents to discuss key Asian and global issues.