Boosting Patent Review Efficiency Fuels Chongqing's NEV Growth | Duty in Action

Chongqing - Intellectual property is crucial for linking innovation and market access in Chongqing's NEV sector. However, patent examination efficiency is lagging behind the fast pace of corporate innovation, said Lai Xinli, deputy to the Chongqing Municipal People's Congress, General Manager of the Human Resources Department of Changan Auto, and Director of the Organization Department of Changan Auto Party committee.

Lai Xinli, deputy to the Chongqing Municipal People's Congress, General Manager of Human Resources Department of Changan Auto, and Director of the Organization Department of Changan Auto Party committee. (Photo/Lai Xinli)

Lai has worked in Changan Auto's Technology and Project Management Department, the key division for R&D innovation. She has witnessed the rapid growth of R&D at Changan and across Chongqing's automotive industry.

As Chongqing's automotive industry transitioned towards NEV and carmakers significantly increased their investment in core technology R&D, the number of invention patent applications surged.

"These additional invention patents are concentrated in areas such as information technology and new materials," Lai said. According to statistics, in 2023, major NEV manufacturers in Chongqing, such as Avatr, Deepal, and Seres, filed approximately 4,800 invention patents.

However, data show that only around 1,600 invention patents were finalized throughout 2023, resulting in a conclusion rate of approximately 33% and a growing backlog.

She stated that the low efficiency of invention patent examinations demotivates corporate researchers and undermines the implementation of intellectual property incentive policies. If this trend persists, it will hinder innovation and development within the NEV sector.

Addressing this issue, Lai suggested during the second session of the 6th Chongqing Municipal People's Congress in 2024 that the Chongqing Intellectual Property Administration, in collaboration with the China National Intellectual Property Administration, increase the allocation of patent examination resources for Chongqing's NEV sector.

Lai Xinli is discussing the suggestions presented at Chongqing Two Sessions. (Photo/Lai Xinli)

Based on the industry's average annual application volume, additional examination resources are provided to ensure that patent review efficiency aligns with the pace of corporate innovation.

The Chongqing Intellectual Property Administration is acting on Lai’s suggestions to boost patent examination efficiency. It has strengthened efforts at the Chongqing service window of the China National Intellectual Property Administration, focusing on thorough initial reviews and prioritizing patent examination requests.

This initiative includes recommending more eligible patent applications, especially those in key industries like NEVs, internet technologies, big data, and other fast-evolving fields, to the China National Intellectual Property Administration for priority review.

He Peiyu, Deputy Director of the Chongqing Intellectual Property Administration, said that in 2024, they recommended 5,209 patent applications from 1,211 innovative entities for priority review, a 163% increase from the previous year.

Lai said, "Driven by a series of measures, by the end of 2024, Changan Auto, for example, reduced the number of patents in examination by 700, resulting in an overall efficiency improvement of over 10%."

With these concerted efforts, Chongqing is setting a benchmark for patent examination efficiency, driving innovation while ensuring the city’s businesses stay ahead in a rapidly evolving global market.