Alex Gray — China is among the 20 most innovative economies for the first time

In the last few decades, China has made huge progress in science and technology. This new age of innovation has seen the birth of ‘unicorn’ tech companies like media giant Tencent, the ‘Uber of China’ Didi Chuxing, and the world’s biggest drone builder, DJI.

Now, for the first time, China has broken into the top 20 of a global list of the most innovative economies.

The latest Global Innovation Index singles out China for its rapid transformation into an innovation powerhouse. It has risen consistently up the rankings, in 2015, it was in 29th place, the following year it rose four places to 25th place and in 2017 up three places to 22nd.

Key drivers behind this upward trend include a high level of spending on research and development and the high number of patent applications made by Chinese companies and institutions.

China’s innovation trajectory has been dynamic, says the report, which is compiled by the INSEAD business school, Cornell University and the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO).

Enter the dragon.

Interesting article. Should be a wake-up call that the world is getting a lot more competitive. That's great for buyers but challenging for producers.

"China's rapid rise reflects a strategic direction set from the top leadership to developing world-class capacity in innovation and to moving the structural basis of the economy to more knowledge-intensive industries that rely on innovation to maintain competitive advantage," said WIPO Director General, Francis Gurry. "It heralds the arrival of multipolar innovation".

World Economic Forum

China is among the 20 most innovative economies for the first time
Alex Gray

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