The State Intellectual Property Office (SIPO) and the World Intellectual Property Office co-awarded outstanding Chinese patented inventions and industrial designs at Beijing Convention Center on Nov 13.

The awarded projects included 15 gold medal winners at the 12th China Patent Awards and 179 named "excellent".

Beginning this year, industrial designs now comprise a separate category in the nation's highest intellectual property awards.

Award winners are "models for intellectual property workers across the nation", SIPO Commissioner Tian Lipu said during the ceremony, who have the courage to innovate and go beyond excellence while never giving up.

China is emerging one of the most dynamic nations for innovation and a major R&D investment destination, Tian said.

"The next five years is crucial to deepening reforms and opening-up," he said.

"We must make full use of national strategies in science and technology, human resources and intellectual property to accelerate the shift to an eco-friendly and resource-efficient growth pattern," he noted.

Out of 431 entries for this year's national awards, patents by the 15 gold medal winners generated a combined 129.3 billion yuan (about $19.5 billion) in revenue and 3.1 billion yuan in exports in 2009.
                                                                                                    Source:China Daily