From 2021 to 2025, China has taken solid steps toward becoming an intellectual property (IP) powerhouse, painting a vivid picture of its IP development during the 14th Five-Year Plan period. Over these five years, provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions across the country have advanced reforms tailored to local conditions, with their IP work continuously achieving new progress and tangible results. In this issue, the Bilingual Weekly captures the highlights of IP progress across China through a series of "key frames" —spanning policy design, protection mechanisms, innovation commercialization and international cooperation — each illustrating how local expertise has come together to build national strength. Let us press play and revisit these shining moments from across China over the past five years.

Deepening Reform

Different provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions have continued to strengthen efforts in institutional innovation and legal safeguards, giving rise to reform practices with strong demonstrative value. Guangdong province has advanced comprehensive IP reform in the China-Singapore Guangzhou Knowledge City; Hainan province has enacted and implemented a regulation on IP protection in the Hainan Free Trade Port; 17 provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions including Zhejiang province and Guizhou province have introduced data IP registration and management measures.

Promoting Commercialization and Utilization

Focusing on key bottlenecks in transforming IP achievements into productive forces, different provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions have continued to enhance the effectiveness of IP utilization, with progress seen on multiple fronts. Along the main line of patent industrialization, Hebei province and the Inner Mongolia autonomous region have hosted cross-regional patent commercialization matchmaking events; Jiangsu province has strengthened patent navigation for key industries; Shandong province has established special funds to support patent industrialization. To address financing challenges faced by innovators, Hubei province has founded an IP investment alliance while Sichuan province has issued IP-backed securitization products linked to pilot-scale platforms. Meanwhile, Chongqing, Yunnan province, the Xizang autonomous region, Gansu province, Qinghai province, the Ningxia Hui autonomous region, and the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps have leveraged geographical indications (GIs) to drive the development of distinctive industries.

Strengthening Protection

During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, China has comprehensively strengthened IP protection, with provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions continuing to improve full-chain protection systems. To promote efficient dispute resolution, Beijing has established a mediation committee for IP disputes. In the area of trademark and brand protection, Shanxi province has improved trademark and brand protection catalogues; Liaoning province and Fujian province have built overseas trademark and brand protection mechanisms. With a focus on overseas IP protection, Anhui province has advanced long-term mechanisms for handling IP-related requests of both Chinese and foreign enterprises, while Hunan province has launched overseas IP protection initiatives. Meanwhile, Henan province and Jiangxi province have developed distinctive regional IP brands.

Optimizing Services

Provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions have stepped up efforts to enhance public IP service capacity, with a strong focus on improving digitalization, smart services, and convenience. Shanghai has advanced benchmarking reforms to improve the IP-related business environment; Jilin province and other provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions have promoted one-stop IP services; Heilongjiang province has built an integrated IP service platform.

International Cooperation

China's achievements in IP development have received high recognition from the international community, with local governments contributing actively to the deepening of international IP cooperation. Tianjin, Shaanxi province, and the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region have each hosted major international IP conferences. The Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region has organized exhibitions of GI products at the headquarters of the World Intellectual Property Organization.

Source: Work report of the 2026 Conference for Heads of Intellectual Property Offices Nationwide