On September 8, the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) released its Global Innovation Index report. The Shenzhen–Hong Kong–Guangzhou innovation cluster once again topped the rankings, securing the No. 1 position among the world's top 100 innovation clusters for the second consecutive year.

 

As a core innovation engine of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, Guangzhou continues to strengthen the role of intellectual property in supporting city brand development. It is enhancing cooperation with WIPO, promoting the implementation and effectiveness of the WIPO GREEN City Acceleration Project, and working to strengthen the entire chain of intellectual property creation, utilization, protection, management and services.

 

Institutional Leadership: Laying a Solid Foundation for a Sound Business Environment

 

According to the report, Guangzhou was the first city in Guangdong Province to issue a programmatic document on building itself into a strong city in intellectual property under the joint name of the CPC Guangzhou Municipal Committee and the Guangzhou Municipal Government. The Regulations of Guangzhou Municipality on Patent Protection and Promotion officially took effect, while the Administrative Measures of Guangzhou Municipality on Special Funds for Intellectual Property were revised and improved. Guangzhou supports enterprises, universities and research institutions in establishing high-value patent cultivation and portfolio development centers, and encourages innovation entities to pursue overseas patent portfolio development through PCT international patent applications, providing a solid foundation for enterprises expanding into overseas markets.

 

At the same time, Guangzhou supports patent landscaping and intellectual property analysis and evaluation to reduce the risks of enterprises making blind PCT international patent applications. It has issued the Implementation Plan for the Patent Quality Improvement Project to coordinate efforts to improve patent quality and efficiency and continuously strengthen the foundation of the intellectual property system. According to the data, in the first half of 2026, Guangzhou had 217,400 valid invention patents and 2.674 million valid registered trademarks. The number of PCT international patent applications reached 791, representing a year-on-year increase of 4.9%, with the growth rate higher than the national and provincial averages, providing sustained momentum for consolidating the global leading position of the innovation cluster.

 

Targeted Services: Stimulating Enterprises’ Innovation and Development

 

In recent years, Guangzhou has adhered to a "one enterprise, one policy" approach to provide targeted services for key innovation entities seeking international patent applications. In response to the overseas development needs of innovation entities, it has focused on identifying bottlenecks in patent cultivation and development and connecting enterprises with international resources, helping them reduce the risks and costs associated with overseas patent portfolio development.

 

The intellectual property authorities at the municipal and district levels in Guangzhou have continued to conduct regular training on overseas patent cultivation and portfolio development. They have promoted the implementation of national intellectual property standards by 8,324 enterprises, while 50 enterprises have been recognized as National Intellectual Property Demonstration Enterprises. These efforts have helped stimulate enterprises’ internal momentum through standardized intellectual property management.

 

Comprehensive support also requires coordinated efforts and the expansion of channels. Guangzhou has opened green channels under the ASEAN Patent Examination Cooperation (ASPEC) program and Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) channels, helping innovation entities obtain overseas patent grants more quickly. Guangzhou Development District, for example, was the first area in China to carry out comprehensive reform trials for intellectual property utilization and protection. It has coordinated seven insurance institutions and dozens of professional intellectual property service organizations to establish the country's largest intellectual property insurance fund pool and build a full-chain service system covering "pre-event risk screening, in-process rights protection representation, and post-event claims coverage".

 

As of the end of June 2026, intellectual property overseas infringement liability insurance in Guangzhou Development District had cumulatively covered more than 515 enterprise instances, with total premiums reaching RMB 115 million and total insured coverage exceeding RMB 1.175 billion. The premium volume, coverage amount and number of claims cases all ranked first nationwide.

 

Full-Chain Protection: Safeguarding Enterprises' Overseas Expansion

 

Improved policy measures have given enterprises greater confidence in expanding overseas. Guangzhou has brought together professional institutions such as the Trademark Examination Cooperation Center, achieving full-chain coverage of judicial, administrative and coordinated protection. Based on the Regulations of Guangzhou Municipality on Patent Protection and Promotion, Guangzhou has introduced three systems: a simplified procedure for administrative adjudication, administrative adjudication confirming non-infringement, and injunctions in administrative adjudication.

 

Guangzhou has deepened cross-border cooperation among Guangzhou, Hong Kong and Macao and was the first in China to achieve mutual recognition of cross-border evidence in intellectual property enforcement. It issued the country's first administrative guidance opinion confirming non-infringement, effectively helping resolve enterprises' difficulties arising from abusive rights enforcement and reducing the risks they face when expanding overseas. Guangzhou has also continued to improve its intellectual property public service system. It currently has 89 municipal-level service outlets and has brought together high-quality resources including five Technology and Innovation Support Centers (TISCs) and five university-based National Intellectual Property Information Service Centers. At the same time, it has brought together professional institutions such as the Trademark Examination Cooperation Center and the Guangdong Patent Examination and Cooperation Center, achieving full-chain coverage of judicial, administrative and coordinated protection.

 

To further improve the domestic service system for foreign-related intellectual property matters, Guangzhou has established the province's first International Intellectual Property Service Hall. In addition, the Guangzhou Intellectual Property Public Service Platform contains more than 168 million pieces of global patent data and 88 industry-specific databases, serving more than 3,000 innovation entities. The city has approximately 55,000 intellectual property professionals. The Greater Bay Area International Intellectual Property Talent Port has commenced operations and has trained nearly 1,000 IP practitioners to date.