The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) has published its ranking of the 100 leading global innovation clusters for 2026. China is represented in 25 such clusters and holds the world's top spot for the fourth consecutive year.
Among the top 10 clusters are the Shenzhen-Hong Kong-Guangzhou, Beijing, and Shanghai-Suzhou clusters. This ranking identifies regions with a high concentration of innovative activity based on indicators including the number of international patent applications, scientific publications, and venture capital deals.
China's consistent strong presence in the list, demonstrating the prosperity of innovation clusters across various regions, attests both to the scale and depth of its innovation ecosystem. This leadership is the result of years of strategic investments in coordinated technological development across regions.
Regional innovation networks have become a crucial part of the national innovation structure, providing a foundation for China's transformation into a leading country in science and technology. Deeper cooperation has been established in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region: Beijing focuses on research and development, while Tianjin and Hebei concentrate on implementing scientific discoveries into production processes.
The parallel integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta has strengthened ties between innovation centers along the G60 Science and Technology Innovation Corridor, creating a cross-regional platform for collaborative innovation spanning nine cities.
The strengthening of regional interaction has fostered a sustainable model of innovation where numerous centers operate in coordination. Beyond mere quantity, the rankings point to the comprehensive modernization of China's entire innovation system.
Innovation clusters reflect the close links between research institutions, enterprises, talent, and investment. In recent years, China has accelerated the commercialization of scientific and technological achievements while simultaneously developing and expanding new high-performance forces. Many clusters included in the list are also major industrial hubs.
In Wuhan, located in Hubei province in central China, which ranked 17th, the growth in added value of industrial enterprises exceeding the established size in high-tech manufacturing during the first half of this year reached 65.7% compared to the previous year, driven by the development of optoelectronics and information technology industries. Meanwhile, the city of Nindai in Fujian province rose 24 positions in the ranking, largely due to innovations in the power battery industry.
This positive cycle between innovation and development allows new and future-oriented industries to gain momentum and grow rapidly within these clusters.
China's leading position in the number of global innovation clusters also opens valuable opportunities for international partners. The number of foreign companies choosing China for R&D innovation is growing, many of which are establishing R&D centers specifically within these clusters. In the first seven months of this year, foreign applicants submitted over 42,000 invention applications in China. In 2025, the share of foreign investment actually used in scientific research and technical services accounted for nearly one-fifth of China's total utilized foreign investment.
China is also demonstrating a commitment to sharing innovation advantages through openness and cooperation. In the first half of this year, Chinese developers of innovative drugs signed 81 licensing agreements with foreign partners, and Chinese industrial robots were exported to 141 countries and regions.
As noted by WIPO Chief Economist Karsten Fink, Chinese innovations are pushing the boundaries of global science and technology across a wide range of fields, benefiting an increasing number of countries worldwide. Today, global innovation resources are increasingly concentrating in China through its innovation clusters.