Shanghai's attractiveness to foreign investment is growing with its continuous efforts to enhance intellectual property (IP) protection and foster a market-oriented, law-based and world-class business environment.

Statistics show that the city currently houses over 75,000 foreign enterprises, which account for about a quarter of its GDP and 60 percent of its trade.

According to Siemens Healthineers, a long-standing foreign enterprise in Shanghai, the vitality of the Chinese market, coupled with the government's steady expansion of institutional openness and efforts to foster a world-class business environment, have strengthened the company's confidence and determination in its China operations.

Aligning with China's IP policies, Siemens Healthineers has established an IP management system that connects global innovation with local partners. Its Shanghai Innovation Center, launched in 2021, has fostered over 80 intellectual property rights.

The equal protection of foreign enterprises' IP rights in Shanghai is evident through the city's high-standard IP development plans and local regulations. The city has addressed over 1,200 foreign trademark infringement cases and included nearly 120 foreign trademarks in its protection list.

Shanghai has also become a preferred location for resolving cross-border IP disputes. The WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Shanghai Service has handled over 140 cases, reflecting global confidence in China's IP ecosystem.

The city also supports international cooperation in the IP sector, exemplified by the establishment of a representative office by Abu-Ghazaleh Intellectual Property in Pudong New Area, offering world-class IP services for enterprises in Shanghai.

Shanghai has also enhanced government-enterprise communication across the city and strengthened interactions with foreign IP institutions. This initiative provides timely updates on developments related to IP protection for foreign enterprises and addresses their concerns.