China's rapid development and strong protection of intellectual property have been praised by Daren Tang, director-general of the World Intellectual Property Organization, as a significant achievement not only for the country but also for the world.

"The Chinese IP ecosystem cannot just be said to be one of huge quantity, but increasingly of high quality as well," Tang said at the opening ceremony of the 14th China International Patent Fair in Dalian, Liaoning province, on Monday.

Tang highlighted China's innovative progress, noting that the country entered the top 10 in WIPO's Global Innovation Index in 2025, making it the highest-ranked among upper-middle-income economies. He said 24 of China's innovation clusters are among the world's top 100, with the Hong Kong-Guangzhou-Shenzhen cluster ranked first.

He also commended China's strong momentum in its green transition, citing rapid growth in the electric vehicle industry, which has surged by 36 percent, the battery industry (53 percent) and the solar industry (18 percent). These advancements, he said, are helping drive green technology and artificial intelligence-enabled industries, which now make up nearly one-fifth of China's economy.

In response to challenges brought by emerging digital technologies, especially AI, Tang called for adjustments to better support the integration of digital and industrial innovation. He stressed that intellectual property should be made more accessible, benefiting not only large enterprises but also startups and small and medium-sized companies.

"IP must accompany the aspirations of researchers and scientists so that laboratory results can have a real impact on society and the economy," he said.

Tang also called for a more comprehensive approach to intellectual property management — integrating patents, trademarks and designs into cohesive business strategies — and suggested policymakers align IP policies across industrial, digital and creative sectors to encourage innovation synergies.

The 14th China International Patent Fair, which concludes on Wednesday, aims to promote patent transformation and utilization to empower innovative development. The event, considered China's premier national exhibition in the IP field, has become an important platform for exchanging innovations and fostering trade cooperation across industries both domestically and internationally.

During the opening ceremony, Antonio Campinos, president of the European Patent Office, delivered a speech via video link. He said that in 2024, the office received 200,000 patent applications, with more than 10 percent coming from China, making the country the fourth-largest source of applications.

Campinos said the office has launched services to help innovators gain easier and faster access to the European market and expressed his eagerness to continue working with China to build a high-quality intellectual property system.

Shen Changyu, head of the China National Intellectual Property Administration, likened the use of patents to a "bridge" that transforms innovative achievements into productive forces. He emphasized its importance for driving innovation-led development.

Shen encouraged more intellectual property exchanges during the event, describing it as a platform to promote high-level opening-up and support high-quality growth.