On December 25, a press conference was held in Jinhua City, Zhejiang Province, revealing a significant set of data: since the beginning of this year, Jinhua has authorized 32,000 new patents, ranking fourth in the province. Among these, 248 were PCT (Patent Cooperation Treaty) international patent applications, representing a substantial year-on-year increase of 66%, with the growth rate securing the top position in Zhejiang Province.
Intellectual property, serving as a core element connecting innovation with the market, protecting innovation outcomes, and empowering industrial upgrades, is increasingly demonstrating its strategic importance in fostering high-quality development. Protecting intellectual property equates to protecting innovation itself. China is the first country globally where the number of valid domestic invention patents has surpassed 4 million, with PCT, Hague System designs, and Madrid international trademark applications consistently ranking among the world's leaders. Jinhua is a national demonstration city for the construction of a strong intellectual property city and is the only prefecture-level city in China to host two sub-centers of the National Overseas Intellectual Property Dispute Response Guidance Center.
To advance the high-standard development as a national demonstration city for a strong intellectual property regime, Jinhua City has recently revised the "Several Opinions of Jinhua Municipal People's Government on Deepening the Implementation of Building a Strong Intellectual Property City," referencing a series of top-level designs including the "Outline for Building a Strong Intellectual Property Nation (2021-2035)" and the "Zhejiang Province Regulations on Intellectual Property Protection and Promotion."
Specifically, the "Opinions" encompass five key areas: enhancing the quality of intellectual property creation, promoting the efficient application of intellectual property, strengthening the protection of intellectual property rights, reinforcing efficient intellectual property management, and upgrading intellectual property service capabilities. These are supported by a total of 15 measures, establishing a policy support system that covers the entire intellectual property chain.
As a key open economic zone in central Zhejiang, Jinhua boasts vibrant foreign trade. In the first 11 months of this year, the city's total import and export value reached 965.8 billion yuan, marking a 19.8% year-on-year increase. Consequently, the city is persistently improving its system for protecting foreign-related intellectual property rights and enhancing related services. For instance, it has deepened the development of public service institutions for overseas IP protection in Kyrgyzstan and established intellectual property service stations in Dubai and Frankfurt, while also setting up a new overseas station in Manila. Furthermore, the city has refined its overseas risk early-warning mechanisms, strengthening monitoring for disputes such as cross-border e-commerce litigation and malicious trademark squatting. This year, it has monitored 113 trademarks at risk of being squatted, issuing 26 risk early-warning reports, all aimed at safeguarding private enterprises and other innovators as they expand overseas.
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