State-level zone for IP finance, investment

The Nanhai district government in Foshan has signed an agreement with the State Intellectual Property Office (SIPO) to establish China's first State-level demonstration zone for intellectual property financing and investment.

The district in South China's Guangdong province will now be home to a zone "that combines intellectual property with financial capital to better regulate management of intangible assets and also optimize the IP structure of companies", said Ma Weiye, director general of SIPO's patent management department.

"When the zone is completed, intellectual property will play a more important role in business operations by attracting strategic investors to Nanhai companies in addition to serving as collateral to borrow money from banks," he added.