WIPO China: Bringing IP Closer to the Public, Letting Sports Spark Innovation

During the 2026 National IP Publicity Week, the Hubei and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area parallel sessions were held in Wuhan on April 22 and in Guangzhou on April 23, respectively. Closely aligned with the 2026 World Intellectual Property Day theme, "Intellectual Property and Sports”, the two events showcased through diverse formats the key role of intellectual property in driving innovation, empowering industries, and serving regional development. The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Office in China participated in the above activities.

Guangzhou Officially Joins the WIPO GREEN Cities Acceleration Project

At the launch ceremony of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area parallel session, Guangzhou officially joined the WIPO GREEN Cities Acceleration Project, becoming the first sub-provincial city in China to join the project.

Mr. Edward Kwakwa, WIPO Assistant Director General, sent a special congratulatory letter, which was read on-site by Ms. Liu Hua, Director of the WIPO Office in China, and presented to the Guangzhou Municipality. In his letter, Mr. Kwakwa highly praised Guangzhou's IP and green innovation strengths: the city has 108.5 high-value invention patents per 10,000 population, and its three flagship industrial clusters — intelligent connected new energy vehicles, green petrochemicals and new materials, and green energy — represent precisely the innovation ecosystems that WIPO GREEN seeks to accelerate. He stated: "Guangzhou is not merely aspiring to green transition, but is already leading it."

Liu Hua: IP Underpins Every Stage of Sports; Sports Connect IP with the Public

In her remarks, Ms. Liu systematically elaborated on the deep connections between intellectual property and sports, technology, and regional development, centering on this year's theme, “Intellectual Property and Sports”.

Ms. Liu noted that intellectual property runs through the entire process of sports development and serves as a vital link connecting innovation, industry and regional growth. From the Wuhan Open to the 'Cheng Fei Vault,' to the Greater Bay Area's use of the 15th National Games mascot 'Dawan Chicken' as a benchmark to generate over 860 million yuan in derivative product value, and to Jiangsu's 'Super League,' the humanoid robot marathon in Beijing E-Town, and the copyright half-marathon in Tianjin's Jinnan District — these practices vividly demonstrate that IP not only safeguards technological innovation in sports and accelerates the deep integration of sports with technology, culture and commerce, but also that sport, with its broad appeal, has become an important bridge for making intellectual property more accessible to the public.

Ms. Liu stated that against the backdrop of rapid AI development, the IP system still faces challenges in rights determination, cross-border protection, and effective implementation. In response, WIPO is providing multiple measures—including organizing the Global AI and IP Forum, issuing AI policy toolkits, and launching the AIII (AI Infrastructure Interchange) initiative—to help countries address the IP challenges brought by AI. At the same time, WIPO is further enhancing its global service systems, promoting alternative dispute resolution mechanisms, deepening technical cooperation, and strengthening capacity building to provide stronger support for innovators. She emphasized that WIPO will continue to deepen cooperation with localities across China, helping them transform their innovation strengths into momentum for high-quality development.

Parallel Sessions’ Highlights: Sporting Spirit and Innovation Practice Illuminate Each Other

Wuhan Parallel Session: Through the Lens of Sports, IP Resonates with the City

The Hubei parallel session was held at Wuhan Institute of Physical Education, co-hosted by the Hubei Provincial Intellectual Property Office and the WIPO Office in China. Using sport as a lens, the event highlighted how IP runs through the innovation chain and drives high-quality development. Multiple IP-related achievements were released, while performances blending technology, tradition, and youth creativity brought together sporting spirit and innovation in line with this year's World IP Day theme.

During the discussion session, 2008 Beijing Olympic champion Cheng Fei joined representatives from government, academia, and industry to exchange insights on how IP empowers innovation-driven development and supports sports innovation. Around 300 participants from government agencies, international organizations, universities, research institutes, enterprises, and broader society attended the event.

Greater Bay Area Parallel Session: Connecting the World through IP, Greater Bay Area Innovation Momentum Continues to Lead

The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area parallel session kicked off at the Canton Fair Complex, known as China's premier trade fair, under the theme "Connecting the World through IP." The event honored the gold medal winners of the 10th Guangdong Patent Awards with on-site presentations. Two Greater Bay Area enterprises shared their practices of IP-enabled industrial upgrading: Kingfa Science & Technology elaborated on its strategic progression from single breakthroughs to building an industry-level patent "dome"; XPeng AeroHT showcased its cutting-edge achievements in the low-altitude economy, noting how IP protection in emerging fields provides impetus and legal safeguards for enterprises.

Olympic champions Xie Siyi and Zhang Jiewen, along with world champion Cai Qizi, delivered video messages calling on society to recognize the role of IP in safeguarding and incentivizing innovation in sports. About 400 participants from government departments, international organizations, leading enterprises in the Greater Bay Area, universities and research institutes, service institutions, and delegates from the Hong Kong SAR and the Macao SAR attended the event.