Intellectual property serves as a strategic resource for national development and a core element of international competitiveness, representing a key expression of scientific and technological achievements as well as innovation outcomes. For the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030), how can China accelerate its efforts to build a strong intellectual property nation? The State Council has recently issued the "15th Five-Year Plan for Intellectual Property Protection and Utilization," which provides a "construction blueprint" for the goals, directions, and key tasks of the intellectual property sector over the next five years.

The plan sets a target that by 2030, China's comprehensive intellectual property strength and international competitiveness will be further enhanced, with decisive progress made in building a strong intellectual property nation. It includes six expected indicators, four key tasks, and 12 special projects. Anchoring these goals, the plan's indicator design adheres to established principles while embracing innovation, and its deployment arrangements are practical and results-oriented, offering both responses to current needs and forward-looking strategic planning.

Strengthening protection to weave a "safety net" for innovation outcomes: Innovation is the primary driver of development, and protecting intellectual property is equivalent to protecting innovation. During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, China significantly strengthened its legal safeguards and enforcement efforts for intellectual property, continuously optimizing the innovation environment. The "Global Innovation Index 2025" report released by the World Intellectual Property Organization shows that China's ranking has risen to 10th place, entering the global top ten for the first time. To further improve the level of intellectual property protection, the plan proposes to continue refining the system of punitive damages for intellectual property infringement; to prevent and crack down on false litigation, malicious litigation, and abuse of intellectual property rights; and to focus on key products, key areas, key markets, and key links, continuing to launch special actions to combat intellectual property infringement and counterfeiting. Regarding the enhancement of foreign-related intellectual property protection, the plan proposes building a case database for foreign-related intellectual property disputes, and encouraging chambers of commerce, industry associations, cross-border e-commerce platforms, and other organizations to establish assistance platforms for foreign-related intellectual property rights protection. These measures outline a new landscape for intellectual property protection during the "15th Five-Year Plan" period, allowing various innovation entities to unleash their innovative vitality in a more stable and fair environment.

Promoting transformation to turn "patents on paper" into "real-world dividends": The transformation and utilization of intellectual property connects innovation with the market, functioning as a "bridge" and "link" for converting scientific, technological, and innovation achievements into real productive forces. As of the end of June this year, China held 2.36 million high-value invention patents, with a per capita count of 16.8 high-value invention patents per 10,000 people, accumulating a large number of high-value patents in fields such as 5G, artificial intelligence, and new energy vehicles. However, the industrialization rate of invention patents in universities and research institutions is still not high enough, and the patent industrialization capacity of small and medium-sized enterprises remains relatively weak. There is still a gap between the actual effect of intellectual property transformation and utilization and societal expectations. The plan proposes an expected indicator of over 22 high-value invention patents per 10,000 people by 2030, and deploys a series of measures to cultivate a healthy ecosystem for intellectual property transformation and utilization, deepen the reform of intellectual property rights and interests distribution, and actively yet prudently develop intellectual property finance. By relying on university regional technology transfer centers to strengthen precise matching of university patents and other technological achievements with enterprise needs; actively promoting transformation models such as "pay after use" or "convert to equity after transformation" for high-risk, difficult-to-transform patent technologies; and fully implementing a system for open licensing of patents... Over the next five years, the benefits of intellectual property utilization will be further released.

Focusing on innovation to seize the "first-mover advantage" in new tracks: Facing a new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation, how should the characteristics and protection needs of technological innovation be addressed? The plan proposes to improve rules for protecting intellectual property related to algorithms, AI-generated content, and the development of the platform economy; to cultivate and unearth high-value patents and patent portfolios around key technologies in core areas; and to strengthen copyright services and guarantees for promoting new technologies and new industries such as blockchain, big data, cloud computing, and artificial intelligence. For instance, in the "Intellectual Property and Artificial Intelligence Two-way Empowerment Project," the plan puts forward multiple measures from two aspects: using intellectual property to promote technological innovation in AI, and strengthening the application of AI technology in the intellectual property field. On the international front, the plan proposes to deeply research and participate in the formulation of international rules and standards for intellectual property in emerging fields such as artificial intelligence, big data, and green low-carbon. By seizing development opportunities in emerging fields, the series of deployments in the plan injects new vitality, provides new momentum, and shapes new advantages for high-quality economic development. Following this five-year "construction blueprint," China's levels of intellectual property creation, protection, utilization, management, services, and international cooperation will reach new heights, paving a solid development path for accelerating the building of a world-class intellectual property system with Chinese characteristics.