"2025 Global Innovation Index Report" Released: China Enters Global Top Ten for the First Time

On September 16, 2025, the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) released the "2025 Global Innovation Index Report" (hereinafter referred to as the "Report"). China's ranking rose to 10th place globally, marking its first entry into the global top ten and solidifying its position as the leader among the 36 upper-middle-income economies. Since 2013, China has climbed 25 places in the ranking. This demonstrates the remarkable achievements made by China in implementing its innovation-driven development strategy and accelerating the construction of a technologically advanced nation and a powerhouse in intellectual property.

The Report provides a comprehensive evaluation and ranking of the innovation ecosystem performance of 139 global economies across two major dimensions: innovation input and innovation output. It covers seven key areas, including institutions, human capital and research, infrastructure, market sophistication, business sophistication, knowledge and technology output, and creative output, with a total of 21 sub-indicators and 78 detailed metrics.

The Report shows that China has long been at the forefront of the world in terms of innovation output, with significant advantages. In 2025, China ranked 5th in innovation output, up two places from 2024, while its innovation input ranking rose to 19th globally, an increase of four places from the previous year.

First, China leads the world in multiple intellectual property-related detailed indicators. These include the number of industrial design applications by residents per unit of GDP, utility model applications, trademark applications, and the share of creative goods exports in total trade, all of which rank first globally. Additionally, China ranks second globally in indicators such as the number of invention patent applications by residents per unit of GDP, the development of industrial clusters, and the proportion of business-funded research and development expenditure (GERD).

Second, China has the highest number of innovation clusters globally. China is home to 24 of the world's top 100 innovation clusters. The Shenzhen-Hong Kong-Guangzhou cluster ranked first globally for the first time, while Beijing (4th) and the Shanghai-Suzhou cluster (6th) also made it into the top ten. These regions are hotspots for global patent applications, technological innovation, and venture capital investment.

Third, China's brand value remains the second highest globally. Among the world's top 5,000 brands in 2025, the total value of Chinese brands reached $1.81 trillion, an increase of 2.84% compared to 2024, securing the second position globally.

Furthermore, the Report also highlighted that China's exports of high-tech products and its position in global value chains continue to strengthen, with outstanding performance particularly in the fields of artificial intelligence, semiconductors, and green technology.