The 2026 Global Innovation Index (GII) report, released by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) on September 8th, has placed Chengdu 21st among the world's top 100 science and technology innovation clusters. This represents a significant climb of three positions from the previous year, securing the city's status as the 7th leading cluster nationwide while continuing to outpace all other innovation hubs in China's western region. Notably, within the top 30 global clusters, Chengdu achieved the most substantial year-on-year ranking improvement.

According to this year's index, a total of 25 Chinese clusters made it into the global top 100, maintaining the country's number one position for listing volume for four consecutive years. Since its debut on the list in 2018, Chengdu has surged an impressive 35 places from its initial 56th ranking, demonstrating a consistent and powerful upward trajectory in its innovation capabilities.

Where Does the Momentum Come From?

Chengdu's remarkable ascent in the global cluster rankings is firmly rooted in its robust intellectual property (IP) foundation. In recent years, the Chengdu Municipal Market Supervision and Administration Bureau (Municipal Intellectual Property Office) has spearheaded a special initiative to promote the application and transformation of patents. This drive has guided 78 universities and research institutions to conduct graded and classified inventories of their existing patent portfolios, totaling 68,000 patents. Of these, 37,000 have been incorporated into the national patent transformation database, with 4,413 patents successfully achieving industrial application.

In parallel, the city, in collaboration with the province, has established 49 centers dedicated to cultivating high-value patents. These efforts are intensifying the role of enterprises as the primary drivers of innovation. The region has also seen the tiered development of 59 national-level IP demonstration enterprises and 69 provincial-level IP powerhouses. Since the start of the 14th Five-Year Plan period, Chengdu has secured a total of 75 China Patent Awards, including two gold and eight silver medals.

To further ensure the effective conversion of high-value patents, Chengdu has been actively promoting diversified dispute resolution mechanisms. By exploring flexible solutions such as benefit-sharing, cross-licensing, and cooperative development, the city has successfully mediated 942 IP disputes by June 2026, fostering a healthy and competitive environment for industrial growth.

A Look at the Latest Numbers

The city's IP portfolio shows remarkable strength. By June 2026, the total number of valid invention patents in Chengdu had reached 144,900 units, a year-on-year increase of 15.64%. High-value invention patents stood at 64,200 units, a quarterly growth of 6.1%, which translates to 29.82 high-value invention patents per 10,000 residents. During the first half of this year alone, the city granted 31,000 patents, marking an 8.38% year-on-year increase. This includes 11,700 invention patents, up by a significant 29.09%, with their proportion in the total rising to 38%, indicating a continuously optimising patent structure.

Looking ahead, a representative from the Chengdu Municipal Market Supervision and Administration Bureau stated that the city will continue to solidify the rapid growth trend of high-value patents. Plans are in place to accelerate their application and transformation, strengthen patent navigation and patent pool layouts, and enhance the full-chain protection of intellectual property. By leveraging IP to deeply integrate technological and industrial innovation, Chengdu aims to contribute its strength to building a powerful nation in the field of intellectual property.