GENEVA, Sept. 27 (Xinhua) -- China's innovation activities have demonstrated remarkable performance in recent years, achieving long-term, stable, and broad-based progress, Carsten Fink, Chief Economist of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), said in a recent interview with Xinhua.

The Global Innovation Index (GII) 2025 report recently released by the WIPO shows that China has risen to 10th place in the 2025 global innovation ranking, up one spot from last year and entering the top tier for the first time.

Fink highlighted China's steady rise, noting that China is the only middle-income economy in the Top 30 and has now entered the Top 10 for the first time.

"If you observe China's progression in the global innovation index, it has steadily risen over the years, reflecting the underlying growth of China's innovation economy, which is faster than most of the rest of the world," Fink said.

Fink emphasized that China's innovation achievements are broad-based, rather than concentrated in a single sector.

The GII evaluates the innovation performance of the entire economy rather than focusing on specific technologies. "It's difficult to pinpoint one or two areas with the greatest growth. China has long had strength in digital communications, but we've also seen great innovation in renewable energy, batteries, electric vehicles, and biosciences," he said.

On the role of intellectual property (IP), Fink said China's commitment reflects the development of its overall innovation ecosystem.

Fink explained that intellectual property plays a key role in encouraging innovation, noting that Chinese companies are increasingly filing patents across various sectors, a trend reflected in WIPO's data.

The 2025 GII also reveals that China leads globally in the number of innovation clusters, boasting 24 clusters ranked among the world's top 100. The Shenzhen-Hong Kong-Guangzhou cluster surged to the top spot for the first time, while Beijing (4th) and the Shanghai-Suzhou cluster (6th) secured positions within the top 10. These regions stand as global hotspots for patent applications, technological innovation, and venture capital investment.

Fink said he has visited at least ten Chinese cities, including major hubs such as Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen, as well as western cities like Chengdu and Chongqing.

He noted that he was impressed by their commitment to innovation, as well as the emergence of new enterprises.

Fink highlighted China's strong commitment to innovation within its economic development strategy, with substantial investments in scientific systems, education frameworks, and talent cultivation. He said this focus underpins China's growing innovation ecosystem.

On the role of national planning, Fink noted that China has just completed its 14th Five-Year Plan and is preparing to launch the 15th.

He added that the long-term commitment of policymakers to the innovation system is crucial for nurturing the institutions necessary for innovation to thrive, and that the national plan plays an important role in supporting this process. ■