Referring to the article “Patentes Märchen” (“patent fairy tale”) in the WirtschaftsWoche magazine No. 42 of October 12, 2018:
It is common knowledge that complex issues can only be understood through differentiated analysis. This especially applies to the international patent system. To the German industry, it is well-known that China subsidies Chinese patent applications and thus is responsible for a mass-production of bad-quality patents. The strategy pursued by the Chinese is to occupy terrain – like in the Chinese game Weiqi. But it is careless to conclude that China is an “illusionary giant” and that all of this is a “patent fairy tale” without innovative strength.
Actually, practice shows another picture. Recent analysis of Chinese patents in Chinese language proves that Chinese companies meanwhile play a leading role in many areas. These are not only so called digital patents, i.e. process patents on algorithms, but also patents on railway technology, alternative powertrains or new materials. Meanwhile, there are high-quality invention patents by Chinese institutes and companies in each of the ten areas which “Made in China 2025” focuses on. These are not quoted in the West simply because they are not known here.
Dr. Hans Joachim Fuchs
Picture: CRRC via Weibo
China Intellectual Property Blog 