Beijing has significantly enhanced intellectual property protection over the past five years, driving rapid growth in technological innovations and contributing to the capital's high-quality development, an official said on Friday.

Meng Bo, head of the Beijing Municipal Intellectual Property Office, highlighted IP's crucial role at a news conference, stating that it "forms the critical foundation for Beijing's innovative development, acts as a vital safeguard for its cultural prosperity, and stands as a key hallmark of its international engagement."

He cited data showing that by the end of June, the number of high-value invention patents per 10,000 people in the city had reached 171.8, maintaining the highest level nationwide.

As of June, the capital's total number of valid invention patents reached 695,000, marking a 128.2 percent increase compared to June 2020, with an average annual growth rate of 17.9 percent, Meng said.

Meanwhile, the number of valid registered trademarks stood at 3.28 million, reflecting a 58.9 percent rise from June 2020 and an average annual growth rate of 9.7 percent, he added.

In addition, the number of practicing patent attorneys in the city has grown from 9,481 in 2020 to 14,000 in June this year, accounting for 36.2 percent of the national total — a clear reflection of Beijing's growing concentration of IP talent, Meng said.