ZEW Keynote at Thirteenth Beijing Humboldt Forum

Professor Philipp Böing, senior researcher in ZEW’s Research Unit “Economics of Innovation and Industrial Dynamics”, addressed the origins and quality of Chinese innovations in his speech. In recent years, China has replaced the USA as the world's leading patent nation. However, while the number of patent applications continues to rise, the average innovative contribution of a Chinese patent has been declining – as has the growth rate of breakthrough patents that are crucial for technological progress. Nonetheless, domestic inventions are increasingly shaping the direction of innovation in China. “The contribution of foreign knowledge, particularly from the United States, to Chinese innovation has recently declined significantly, which points to China’s growing independence,” Professor Böing noted. 

A direct comparison shows that more than half of Chinese patents now make a greater contribution to China’s technological progress than US patent applications in China. A development scenario is emerging in which China, having long supported domestic inventions, is increasingly reducing its technological dependence on foreign countries. This course towards technological sovereignty opens up new opportunities for China, such as the targeted promotion of national research and production capacities. However, at the same time, it poses considerable challenges from an international perspective – particularly with regard to international research cooperation and geo-economic competition.

Other speakers in the “South-South Cooperation from Diverse Perspectives” forum included Professor Wang Qiang, Vice President of UIBE, Professor Andreas Löschel, Ruhr University Bochum, Dr. Irene Giner-Reichl, former Austrian ambassador to the People’s Republic of China, Professor Ralf Wehrspohn, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, as well as Professor Wang Bo, dean of the School of International Development and Cooperation at UIBE. Afterwards, practitioners discussed Chinese activities in the context of international development cooperation in a roundtable discussion and provided insights into specific experiences and ongoing projects.