The Chinese mainland's innovation index has surged to 17th place globally, with 11.5 patents for invention per 10,000 people in 2018 according to a report released by the World Intellectual Property Organization.

As the only middle-income economy on the top 20 list for the global innovation index, Chinese mainland obtained 1.60 million patents for invention by the end of 2018, up 18.1 percent year-on-year, People Daily's overseas edition reported.

Applications to the Madrid international trademark registration system reached 6,594 in the same period, up 37.1 percent on a yearly basis. Cumulative approval of geographically indicated products and registered geographical indication trademarks reached 2,380 and 4,867 respectively.

The quality and efficiency of intellectual property rights review continues to improve, with the average review period for trademark registration shortened to six months in 2018. The review cycle of high-value patents has been reduced by 10 percent and total annual patent fees have been reduced or exempted by 5.86 billion yuan ($867.2 million) last year, the report said.

China's international cooperation in IP protection has deepened, as the country has become a firm defender, important participant and active maker of international rules for intellectual property rights, said Shen Changyu, director of the National Intellectual Property Administration.

China successfully held a Belt and Road high-level meeting on IP protection, actively participated in multilateral affairs under the framework of World Intellectual Property Organization and World Trade Organization, deepened cooperation with the International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants and promoted the improvement of international rules on IP rights last year.

The country cooperated with the WIPO to establish a Technology and Innovation Support Center to promote early adoption of the Beijing treaty on audio-visual performance and held a global conference on IP protection and innovation development during the inaugural China International Import Expo in Shanghai in November 2018.

China insisted on equal treatment and protection of IP rights of domestic and international companies and made globally recognized achievements in this field. Some US intellectual property authorities and related media also said China's IP protection environment is at the forefront of developing countries and has becoming a preferred place for multinational companies to initiate IP litigation around the world, Shen said.

China would like to cooperate with Western countries, including the US, to strengthen communication, dialogue and cooperation in intellectual property rights protection and work together to crack down on all kinds of infringement and create a good business environment, he said.

Issued in 2008, China's first National Intellectual Property Strategy Outline is expected to expire next year and many goals and tasks have been achieved ahead of time. The next edition of the National Intellectual Property Strategy Outline for 2035 is under formulation and a draft plan is projected to be ready by the end of this year, the report said.