The Haikou national high-tech zone was recently named a national pilot zone for intellectual property, the first in the province. Over the past three years, the number of patent applications from companies and research institutes in the zone increased an average of 15.6 percent annually. Some 168 patents were granted in the period including 18 international invention patents. Another six zones across the nation were also given pilot status by the State Intellectual Property Office at the same time.

(Source: China Daily)