On September 20, 2021, the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) released the Global Innovation Index (GII) 2021 report. Minister of Science and Technology Wang Zhigang delivered a video message at the event upon invitation.

 

Minister Wang said that since its establishment, WIPO has made great contributions to global innovation governance, intellectual property protection and application, and construction of global intellectual property infrastructure. China is willing to deepen cooperation with WIPO and jointly promote the development of open, inclusive, balanced and effective international rules on intellectual property. 

 

Minister Wang pointed out that the Chinese government attaches great importance to science and technology, and takes innovation as the primary driving force for development. By pursuing an innovation-driven development strategy, China has worked for the integrated planning of basic research, applied basic research and technological innovation, and endeavored to foster a sound legal, policy, cultural and institutional environment, and build an efficient and smooth innovation system. 

 

As a responsible major country, China has earnestly fulfilled its international obligations in fighting the pandemic by constructing an open scientific service sharing platform, sharing its anti-epidemic practices and experiences with the international community, and honoring its solemn commitment of providing vaccines and other public goods to the world.

 

Minister Wang stressed that, as China enters the new development stage, the Ministry of Science and Technology, as the STI management department in China, is ready to form a closer “science and technology circle of friends” with old and new friends to jointly tackle global challenges facing humanity, and foster a community of innovation cooperation.

 

With 81 indicators in such areas as policy environment, knowledge and technology output, the GII 2021 provides a systemic assessment of the comprehensive innovation capacity of 132 economies. In 2021, China ranks 12th, up two spots from 2020, which is the highest ranking among all middle-income economies.