WIPO China: Inspiring Future IP Talent and Fostering Global Competence Among Youth

May 20, 2025, Beijing - A delegation of 20 doctoral, mater’s and undergraduate students and faculty members from the first Global Competence Talents Class of Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST) visited the WIPO Office in China (WOC). Ms. Liu Hua, Director of the WOC, engaged in an in-depth discussion with the group, covering topics such as the global landscape of intellectual property (IP), development trends under two major innovation waves, and career planning for young professionals.

Ms. Liu highlighted that the global value of intangible assets - encompassing patents, trademarks, copyrights and industrial designs - has surpassed $79.4 trillion. As the United Nations' specialized agency for intellectual property, WIPO provides comprehensive services including global policy platforms, registration systems, databases, cooperation platforms and capacity-building programs. These services facilitate the registration, utilization, protection and management of worldwide intangible assets, while empowering governments, academia, businesses and individuals across all member states.

Ms. Liu pointed out that since joining WIPO in 1980, China has become a key partner of WIPO and has actively contributed to the development of international IP system. Today, the two innovation waves “Digital Age” and “Deep Science” are profoundly transforming the ways we produce, live and entertain. In particular, in frontier areas such as artificial intelligence, Chinese stakeholders have engaged in-depth cooperation with WIPO to help shape a global IP ecosystem that is balanced, inclusive, dynamic and forward-looking. Since 2019, WIPO has successfully held 11 sessions of the WIPO Conversation on Intellectual Property and Frontier Technologies, which focuses on patentability and copyrightability in the AI era and provides a platform for policy dialogue and exchange. Ms. Liu encouraged students to embrace the frontier technologies, build awareness in IP and enhance their professional competencies. 

During the interactive session, Ms. Liu engaged in an in-depth exchange with the students. She highlighted that frontier technologies such as generative AI and large language models are powerful drivers of innovation. These technologies not only enhance human creative capacity but also offer new forms and opportunities for creative expression—they should be viewed not merely as challenges but as valuable tools to foster innovation. Ms. Liu also underscored the important role of IP in empowering businesses, especially small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). She encouraged students, as potential future entrepreneurs of startups or SMEs, to make full use of WIPO’s international registration systems and alternative dispute resolution mechanisms to lower the barriers and costs of IP protection. In addition, she pointed to various initiatives and resources offered by WIPO, such as the WIPO Global Awards, Technology and Innovation Support Center (TISC), WIPO GREEN (online platform for technology exchange) and the AI-powered IP Diagnostics Tool, which can help SMEs better assess and manage their IP assets and support their development. Finally, Ms. Liu addressed the balance between IP protection, innovation, and public interest. She cited two landmark cases: Jonas Salk’s decision to forgo patent exclusivity for the polio vaccine, and Tim Berners-Lee’s choice to keep the World Wide Web an open standard. These examples vividly demonstrated how IP protection can be balanced with public welfare while advancing human progress.

Ms. Liu praised the students for their thoughtful questions and interest in IP issues. She highlighted the importance of using technology and open resources to expand knowledge in the digital era. She encouraged students to stay focused on IP and participate in WIPO programs like summer schools, distance learning, internships, the Young Experts Program, and the Youth Video Competition to build a strong foundation for their future careers.