A recent announcement from the China National Intellectual Property Administration revealed the winners of the 26th China Patent Awards, with Yunnan Province securing seven invention patents. The haul included one Gold Award and six Excellence Awards, marking a historic high for both the level of recognition and the total number of awards received in a single year.
The Gold Award-winning patent, titled "An EV-71 Virus Strain, Inactivated Vaccine for Human Use, and Its Preparation Method," was developed by the Institute of Medical Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences. This achievement ends a 21-year drought for Yunnan in receiving this top national honor. The patented technology underpins the world's first EV71 inactivated vaccine with wholly independent intellectual property rights, setting an internationally leading quality standard. A standardized production line with an annual capacity of ten million doses has already been established based on this patent, demonstrating significant progress in industrialization.
The six patents that received Excellence Awards cover a diverse range of fields. They include a system for unattended smoke and gas washing in tunnels from Yunnan Communications Planning, Design & Research Institute Co., Ltd. and Yunnan Communications Investment & Construction Group Co., Ltd.; a method for smelting tin-bearing materials from Yunnan Tin Co., Ltd. Tin Branch; a process for the joint treatment and resource utilization of hazardous waste from aluminum electrolysis by Yunnan Yunlv Runxin Aluminum Co., Ltd.; a device for deep phosphorus and nitrogen removal in wastewater treatment from Yunnan Hexu Environmental Technology Co., Ltd.; a system and method for detecting gas leaks in GIS equipment from the Electric Power Research Institute of Yunnan Power Grid Co., Ltd.; and a method for improving germanium recovery rates in pyrometallurgy through ore washing and selection, developed by Yunnan Lincang Xinyuan Germanium Industry Co., Ltd. and Yunnan Dongchang Metal Processing Co., Ltd.
These six winning patents span crucial sectors such as precious metals and ecological protection, highlighting the substantial role intellectual property plays in fostering the deep integration of scientific innovation and industrial advancement in Yunnan. They also demonstrate the province's positive contributions to high-quality development. The China Patent Award, jointly organized by the China National Intellectual Property Administration and the World Intellectual Property Organization, represents the highest national distinction in the patent field.
The success of Yunnan's seven patents this year is a powerful testament to the province's original innovation capabilities in vital areas like biomedicine, rare and precious metals, and environmental protection. It marks a significant milestone in Yunnan's implementation of its strategy to become an intellectual property powerhouse and its efforts to achieve self-reliance and control over key core technologies.
Looking ahead, the Yunnan Provincial Administration for Market Regulation, which also serves as the Provincial Intellectual Property Office, will leverage this achievement as a catalyst. The plan involves deepening the implementation of the "Intellectual Property Powerhouse Construction Outline (2021-2035)" and aligning with the "3815" strategic development goals. The administration will continue to refine mechanisms for cultivating high-value patents, encourage innovators to generate more such patents, and accelerate the application and transfer of patented technologies. This is expected to fully leverage the supporting role of intellectual property in industrial transformation and upgrading, making new contributions to the province's high-quality and leapfrog development.