HAIKOU /China/, January 21. /TASS/. Authorities of the city of Haikou (the administrative center of South China's Hainan Province) plan to significantly accelerate the development of the local innovation sector in the coming years by improving the system of intellectual property rights protection, the Hainan Daily newspaper reported.

The Haikou State High-Tech Industrial Development Zone will continue to play an important role in the modernization of Hainan Free Trade Port, according to the Hainan Daily newspaper. In 2022, enterprises located in this technology park registered twice as many patents for inventions compared to 2021. About 45% of all licenses issued by the city government are from this science city.

The local administration was noted to have planned to develop a holistic industry chain, including companies that deal with both the execution of licenses and the solution of issues related to the practical application of the latest developments and the provision of a wide range of specialized services, including the protection of copyright holders. "This time we have been chosen as a national pilot site for extensive cluster development of the intellectual property service industry, <...> we will comprehensively promote high quality service for its protection," commented the management of Haikou Hi-Tech Zone.

It is expected that through a new model of service for intellectual property rights holders and the introduction of a one-stop shop, the city will be able to integrate the intellectual resources needed to make Hainan a leading scientific and manufacturing center in China and Southeast Asia. The Hainan International Arbitration Court is responsible for resolving disputes concerning invention rights, which is in constant communication with the competent legal authority of the high-tech zone and allows for the prompt resolution of relevant problems.

Hainan Free Trade Port has 13 key development zones, 4 of which are located in Haikou. Their task is to support the long-term sustainable growth of the regional economy, and create a solid foundation for a cluster of strategic industries focused on advanced knowledge-intensive products and advanced high value-added services.

By 2025, the Haikou administration plans to complete the development of an integrated system for the protection of intellectual property rights, which will make it possible to simplify the procedures for obtaining patents for inventors and organizations that own know-how, all kinds of latest developments and technologies. It is expected that this will significantly accelerate the development of Hainan's advanced scientific and industrial cluster.