The heads of local intellectual property offices nationwide recently gathered in the provincial capital Nanjing to discuss the challenges and tasks ahead this year.

China has entered a key stage in building an affluent society, a goal that cannot be reached without stimulating innovation and honoring intellectual property, said He Hua, vice-commissioner of the State Intellectual Property Office.

He added that the central government will encourage an increase in invention patent ownership from 1.7 per 10,000 people in 2010 to 3.3 in 2015, as "it has become an important part of an evaluation system for national economic and social development".

He Quan, the province's vice-governor, said local authorities will continue to promote creative capacity and international competitiveness in companies through implementing a new intellectual property strategy.

Source:People.com