The State Council recently issues the Directive Opinions on Further Promoting Reform and Opening up and Economic and Social Development in the Yangtze River Delta Area (hereafter referred to as the Opinions), vowing to create the policy environment of encouraging independent innovation, strengthen IPR protection, intensify IPR integration, operation and administration and accelerate the process of fostering a batch of the world-level brands with independent IPRs and big enterprises with international competitiveness, so as to construct Yangtze River Delta area into an innovative region.

According to the Opinions, efforts should be made to construct a regional innovation system with international competitiveness, formulate new plans for independent innovation, accelerate the construction of technological innovation system, guide innovation factors to assemble in enterprises, integrate the forces of independent research and development (R&D), construct an open and common infrastructure for science and technology and a platform for industrial generic technology R&D and experiment, build the regional innovation network, and establish and improve the public service platforms and intermediary service organizations for technology transfer and transformation; special efforts should be made to operate the important scientific and technological parks in some key regions; Sci-tech qualification mutual recognition system should be implemented.

The Opinions requires creating the policy environment of encouraging independent innovation, increasing the fiscal investments to guide the research and development of pre-competition technologies and generic technologies, technology introduction for absorbing and re-innovation and initial small and medium-sized hi-tech enterprises, doing a good job in pretax deduction of R&D expenditures and implementation of the preferential policies for hi-tech enterprises, promoting the formation of market-oriented and professional innovative service system, increasing IPR protection and intensifying IPR integration, operation and administration.

The Opinions clarifies that enterprises' competitiveness should be further improved to accelerate the process of fostering a batch of the world-class brands with independent IPRs and big enterprises with international competitiveness.

The Opinions points out that innovative breakthroughs in key areas and core technologies should be made. Emphasis should be put on promoting independent innovation in areas such as electronic information and aeronautics and astronautics, strengthening inter-regional collaboration and launching demonstration of new technology development and promotion. Hi-tech parks' roles in industrial assembly and innovation bearing should be brought into full play. The Opinions also supports different regions to jointly undertake some national important scientific and technological special projects.