China to roll out 23 measures to back innovation
THE Chinese government yesterday decided to implement a new set of reform policies and measures to boost innovation and creativity, according to a statement released after a State Council executive meeting presided over by Premier Li Keqiang.
Reform measures in boosting innovation have been piloted in eight Chinese cities and regions, including the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, Shanghai and Guangdong. The first pilot program covering 13 policy measures were rolled out nationwide in 2017.
It was decided during the meeting that another batch of 23 reform measures will be rolled out to mobilize innovation resources, incentivize innovation activities and nurture new drivers of growth.
A number of reform measures will be rolled out across the country.
More efforts will be made to incentivize the commercialization of R&D findings. Commercialization professionals will participate in the whole process. Universities and research institutes will be encouraged to participate, through commercial deals, in business research on technological breakthroughs.
New fintech services will be introduced to explore more financing channels for small and medium-sized tech companies, including asset-light firms and firms yet to make profits.
Local government equity funds will be channeled to support seed and early-stage high-tech startups. Insurance companies will be encouraged to develop products that cover patent enforcement and patent infringement to forestall patent holders’ losses from IPR violations.
Market-based operation of state-owned scientific research instrument and equipment will be promoted. Mechanisms will be established to allow for innovation-related decisionmaking on a trial-and-error basis.
It was also decided at the meeting that the three reform measures, which have so far been piloted in one or two places, will be extended to all the above-mentioned eight cities and regions. Such measures include granting scientists and researchers a certain share of ownership of their findings proportionate to their job positions, setting up science and technology innovation sections in regional equity markets, and allowing greater autonomy for universities administered by local governments to attract talent and confer academic titles.
Participants in the meeting also passed a draft amendment to the Patent Law in an effort to protect property rights and crack down on infringement, the statement said.
The draft amendment, in learning from international practice, substantially raised penalties for patent infringements. It stipulated that Internet service providers should take on joint responsibilities when they fail to stop the infringements on a timely basis.
It also specified the incentive mechanism that would allow inventors or designers to reasonably profit from yields out of their service invention and creation.
The amendment will be submitted to the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress for review.
A draft regulation on emergency response to work safety accidents was also passed at the meeting.