China has made significant efforts to boost its intellectual property (IP) talent pool, with the number of professionals reaching 860,000 by the end of 2023. This includes over 30,000 individuals engaged in administrative management and enforcement, as well as more than 2,200 talents staffing the established IP protection centers. China also boasts 34,000 practicing patent agents and over 76,000 qualified patent agents. Additionally, about 270 talents have been trained as international patent examiners. To further strengthen its IP expertise, China has selected more than 150 educators specializing in international IP affairs and 119 experts in overseas IP dispute resolution [077fc887].
In line with its commitment to developing a robust IP ecosystem, China has ramped up efforts to train essential talents in IP protection, particularly in emerging domains such as big data and artificial intelligence. The country has launched 98 high-quality IP courses online and conducted more than 250 IP training sessions since the beginning of the 14th Five-Year Plan period. Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangdong have made significant strides in implementing IP initiatives. Furthermore, Tsinghua University and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) have signed an agreement to establish a new master's program called "Intellectual Property and Innovation Policy" at Tsinghua University's Law School. The program, set to commence studies in September of this year, aims to enroll around 30 students from around the world [077fc887].
However, concerns have been raised about China's intellectual property practices in light of a Chinese Communist Party (CCP) talent recruitment program called the 'Thousand Talents Program'. The program has recruited former Microsoft researchers, including some who now work in China's artificial intelligence (AI) industry. The program aims to poach U.S.-educated scientists and engineers for the benefit of the CCP. U.S. national security agencies have raised concerns that the program is being used to steal intellectual property and technology to advance China's military and economic goals. More than 10,000 scientists have been recruited as part of the program. China is racing to catch up with the U.S. in AI development and is using U.S. technology to try and fill in the gap. Microsoft has positioned itself as an industry leader in AI and has partnered with OpenAI and incorporated AI into its existing offerings. The recruitment of Microsoft researchers by the Thousand Talents Program is seen as alarming, as it raises concerns about the theft of intellectual property and spying on Americans. Microsoft has deep political ties to the Biden administration and has lobbied the federal government on AI regulation. The company has promised to ensure that AI research is safe, secure, and trustworthy [b7f0df05].