China's top-10 influential 2008 IPR figures

Ma Huateng

Rising from obscurity to a "Tencent Kingdom", Ma Huateng, CEO of Tencent Inc, has built the most competitive Internet company in China and inspired enthusiastic young people to pursue their dreams by relying on intellectual property rights. As the leader in the sector, Tencent has applied for 1,645 patents and 102 of them granted by July 2008. All its patents have been used in Internet products and services developed and produced by Tencent. Ma has won many awards including "2008 Best CEO in Asia".

Feng Jun

Feng Jun, president of Beijing Huaqi Information Digital Technology Co Ltd (Aigo), got his nickname "Patriot Feng Jun" for his creativity and courage in challenging foreign products with his better understanding of Chinese culture. The hi-tech Aigo "Miao Bi" reads the content of normal printed books aloud when words are scanned with a pen-like device. The "Miao Bi" received 28 patents and spawned the new era of "talking books". Feng was also named to the 6th China Youth Technology Creativity Elite.

Jackie Chan

Movie star Jackie Chan was named "Anti-piracy Ambassador" in 2008 and received the World Intellectual Property Organization Innovation Gold Award in the same year. He donated 10 million yuan to victims of the Wenchuan earthquake. His motto "only those who work hard can succeed" describes the essence of his success.



Ren Zhengfei

Under the leadership of Ren Zhengfei, Huawei Technologies Co Ltd has built a sound strategic IPR plan and system. In 2008, Huawei applied for 25,000 patents at home and abroad, ranking the first in number of patents among the Chinese enterprises. Even in the difficult times during the global economic turndown, the company's sales increased 46 percent.

Qiu Bojun

Qiu Bojun is chairman and CEO of Beijing Kingsoft Corp, which was established in 1988 in Beijing. In 1989, Kingsoft developed its WPS 1.0, the first Chinese office software applications. Now one of the biggest suppliers for Chinese Internet applications and services, the company makes strong effort to protect its copyrights. With the support of copyright protection, Kingsoft has become one of the core competitive enterprises in the global market.



Chen Tianqiao

Under the leadership of its CEO Chen Tianqiao, Shanghai Shanda Networking (Group) Co Ltd has become a large enterprise offering a variety of Internet-based entertainment services such as online role playing games and network PC games. Shanda online games account for 65 percent market share in China and the company is regarded as one of the three biggest interactive entertainment media enterprises in the world. In 2008, Shanda was awarded the World Intellectual Property Organization Innovation Gold Award.

Li Shihe

Doctor Li Shihe, deputy chief engineer of the China Academy Of Telecommunications, has made great achievements in microwave and mobile communications and as a result received numerous awards. Li proposed the wireless transmission technology TD-SCDMA to the International Telecommunication Union for third-generation (3G) mobile telecommunication and as one of the three main standards globally in wireless transmission technology.



Zhang Yimou

As the director of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games opening ceremony, Zhang Yimou burnished his already respected reputation at home and overseas by integrating traditional Chinese culture with modern technological methods. Last year he was named an "Outstanding Individual" by the State Council for his work during the Games. Zhang has been devoted to protecting China's film copyrights and sold the copyright for the film "Hero" for 17.8 million yuan, a record in the sector's history.

Wu Handong

Professor Wu Handong has conducted a wide range of pioneering research into intellectual property, civil and commercial law. He is president of Zhongnan University of Economics and Law, vice-chairman of the China Academic Intellectual Property Research Association and a member of the National Intellectual Property Strategy Expert Group. In 2008, his work "Basic Research on Intellectual Property Rights" won the second award in the sector. Wu is also one of the earliest academicians to propose the strategic concept of intellectual property rights.

Gu Jianfen

As a famous contemporary musician, Gu Jianfen has contributed widely to the development of China's popular music. She is a composer for the Central Ensemble of Songs and Dances, commissioner of International Cultural Exchange Center of China and vice-president of China's Musicians Association. She has also long been an advocate of building more copyright protection for Chinese musicians in mass music and markets. In 2008, she won the World Intellectual Property Organization Innovation Gold Award.