On April 19, CNIPA Commissioner Shen Changyu delivered a keynote speech at a session titled "Intellectual Property and SMEs: Taking your ideas to market" during the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2021.

Shen stressed that SMEs are an important foundation to keep the market economy solidly-based and energetic in the long run, a key link to make the industrial supply chains more stable and competitive, as well as a strong support to build a new development pattern. In recent years, CNIPA has earnestly implemented the guiding principles of the CPC Central Committee and released a series of policies and measures to support the development of SMEs. First of all, IP protection has been shored up to create a good environment for business and innovation. 62 IP protection centers and IP rapid aid centers have been established nationwide to form a collective force to protect intellectual property, with 18,000 enterprises being filed, most of which are SMEs. Second, IP application has been boosted to help SMEs out of difficulties. In 2020, the amount guaranteed through patent and trademark pledge registration nationwide reached 218 billion yuan, benefiting nearly 9,000 SMEs. Third, IP-related public services have been optimized to facilitate enterprise development. 51 WIPO technology and innovation support centers (TISCs) and 60 intellectual property information service centers at colleges and universities nationwide have been established to provide SMEs with IP-related information service. Fourth, IP management has been enhanced to help SMEs get stronger and healthier. CNIPA has guided 55,000 enterprises to implement the Enterprise Intellectual Property Management and provided IP custody service for over 20,000 SMEs.

Facing COVID-19 last year, Shen said, CNIPA made timely and targeted solutions based on the actual demands of SMEs to support them in work resumption and healthy development. Currently, there are still many uncertainties in global pandemic and economy, which present a lot of challenges and difficulties to SMEs. In this context, CNIPA will continue to thoroughly implement the important instructions made by General Secretary Xi Jinping and follow the requirements of the CPC Central Committee to enhance targeted support to help SMEs seek innovative development, Shen added.

Secretary General Li Baodong of Boao Forum for Asia and Director Liu Hua of the WIPO Office in China also spoke on behalf of the organizers. Li said that the IP system is a basic guarantee and international rule to encourage innovation and has a great influence on the trends of scientific and technological innovation. Boao Forum for Asia attaches great importance to IP protection under the new situation and makes it as a priority of its work. The Forum is willing to join hands with WIPO to play a more active role in promoting international scientific and technological cooperation and enhancing IP protection, he added. Liu said that SMEs are a backbone force to create jobs and develop the economy, and it is the purpose and objective of WIPO to empower SMEs with IP. In today's world, SMEs are playing a more important role in economic recovery, as well as IP in making enterprises more resilient and energetic.

Yu Cike, Director of the Copyright Administration Bureau of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, as well as some other representatives from the government sectors, academic circles and enterprises at home and abroad, shared their ideas on enhancing IP protection and boosting the innovative development of SMEs.