China vows to fully implement the action plan for carrying out the national IPR strategy

On March 5，the 3rd Session of the 12th National People’s Congress opened at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. On behalf of the State Council, Premier Li Keqiang delivered the report on the work of the government for deliberation and approval. According to the report, institutional innovation should be used to drive scientific and technological innovation. Legislation on the commercialization of research and development deliverables and service inventions should be improved so that inventors can enjoy a share of the returns on their inventions. China will fully implement the action plan for carrying out the national strategy on intellectual property rights, crack down on infringements, and ensure inventions and creative work are thoroughly protected to keep innovation thriving. 

Premier Li said in the report that to deliver a good performance in the work of the government this year, we need to concentrate on the following three areas: first, we need to ensure continuity in and make improvements to macroeconomic policies； second, we need to maintain a proper balance between ensuring steady growth and making structural adjustments； third, we need to nurture and hasten the birth of a new force for driving economic and social development. “This year is the final year for completing the 12th Five-Year Plan. As we strive to accomplish the major tasks and objectives for economic and social development set forth in this plan, we need to formulate the 13th Five-Year Plan, bringing to this work the spirit of reform and innovation and adopting a scientific approach.” said Li. 

Li said that it is people who make innovations and create things. We will speed up the reform to manage the use and commoditization of and the distribution of profit from scientific and technological advances of public institutions and extend the coverage of policies which allow for incentive mechanisms for innovation based on shares and dividends. Legislation on the commercialization of research and development deliverables and survice inventions should be improved so that inventors can enjoy a share of the returns on their inventions. We will formulate policies for encouraging the flow of researchers and engineers, reform the systems for assessing their achievements, for appraising them for the conferral of professional titles, and for granting national awards, and reform research institutions according to their functions. We will work to attract high-caliber foreign professionals and bring in other expertise from overseas. We will fully implement the action plan for carrying out the national strategy on intellectual property rights, crack down on infringements, and ensure inventions and creative work are thoroughly protected to keep innovation thriving. 

According to Li, enterprises play a leading role in technological innovation. We will implement and improve preferential policies, such as extra tax deductions for research and development costs and policies that support new-and high-technology enterprises, so as to encourage enterprises to increase their spending on innovation. We will encourage enterprise involvement in implementing major science and technology projects and building research platforms, and promote collaborative innovation by bringing together enterprises, academia, and research institutes, with enterprises playing the leading role. We will work hard to develop the right environment for creativity, establishing more national innovation demonstration zones, ensuring the smooth functioning of new-and high-technology national development zones, and enabling them to play a leading role in boosting innovation. Medium, small, and micro businesses can accomplish great things. We need to give them a leg up to get them going. With these efforts, China’s grassroots innovation can sprout up and grow strong, bringing flowers of creation to every field. 

Li empathized that to make innovation deliver, effective allocation of science and technology resources is crucial. We need to reform the management of science and technology plans funded by the central government to establish an open and unified national science and technology management platform. With the focus on supporting basic research, research in cutting-edge technologies, and key technologies that have a broad application, the government will encourage original innovation and move faster to launch major national science and technology projects. We will enable open access to the country’s major science and research infrastructure facilities as well as large-scale or costly research equipment. By giving free rein to the talent and ingenuity of the Chinese people, we will welcome in a new high tide of popular innovation. 

Li stressed that， we will enable people to enjoy more of the fruits of cultural development. Culture is the lifeblood of a nation and a source of innovation. We will put into practice core socialist values and promote fine traditional Chinese culture. We will encourage philosophy and the social sciences to flourish and promote the development of literature and art； the press and publishing； radio, television, and film； archiving； and other cultural programs. We will work to protect cultural relics and intangible cultural heritage. We will ensure that more outstanding works of literature and art are created for the people to enjoy, and encourage a love of reading in all our people to build a nation of avid readers.