As one of the important legal systems that promote the civilization process of mankind, the system of intellectual property rights (IPR) plays an extremely crucial role today against the background of swiftly advancing science and technology, a rising knowledge economy and accelerating economic globalization. It has become a consensus of all countries to encourage innovation, value the protection of IPR and step up the cooperation in the field of IPR. The Chinese government attaches great importance to IPR. This is to suit the development needs of the global economy and trade under WTO framework, but more importantly to suit the innate development demand of our country itself.

The municipal Party Committee and municipal government of Shenzhen pays great attention to IPR and regards it as an important assurance mechanism for enhancing the core competitiveness of the city. They have pushed the development of the IPR through all-society, all-orientation and all-process initiatives, thus providing inexhaustible motive power for the sustained growth of the economy of the city. In the protection of IPR, we set store by the protection of not only native enterprises, but also foreign-invested enterprises.

In 2004, the municipal Party Committee and the municipal government of Shenzhen promulgated ‘Document No .1’ —the Decision on Improving Regional Innovation System to Promote the Sustained and Rapid Development of High-tech Industries and ‘Document No. 7’ —Opinion on Implementing the ‘ Decision of Guangdong Provincial Party Committee and Guangdong Provincial People’s Government on Accelerating the Construction of a Province Powerful in Science and Technology, which represent a clear-cut decision on implementing the concept of scientific development, improving regional innovation system, promoting independent IPR innovation and intensifying the protection of knowledge economy. Recently, the municipal Party Committee and municipal government of Shenzhen called for accelerating the realization of a historic shift from ‘speed-oriented Shenzhen’ to ‘efficiency-oriented Shenzhen’ and promoting the move from ‘Processed in Shenzhen’ and ‘Made in Shenzhen’ to ‘Created in Shenzhen’. This poses higher requirements for the IPR work of the whole city.

The annual publication of the white paper on the development status of IPR is an important initiative adopted by the municipal Party Committee and municipal government of Shenzhen in 2004. It will present a timely and objective reflection of the status of the city in the creation, management, utilization and protection of IPR so that domestic and foreign investors can have a clear picture of the IPR status in the city and become more confident in the relevant policies and protection measures. Meanwhile, it will further spur the improvement and optimization of the investment environment of Shenzhen, further whet the awareness of the whole society for IPR and promote the innovation of independent IPR. It is a fundamental task in the construction of a ‘harmonious Shenzhen’ and an ‘efficient Shenzhen’.