BEIJING — China has made notable progress in enhancing enterprises’ innovation capabilities in recent years, a senior official said on May 24.

Enterprises’ research and development (R&D) investment accounts for above 70 percent of the country’s total R&D investment, with more than 40 percent of major industrial enterprises conducting technological innovation activities, said Wang Zhijun, vice-minister of industry and information technology, at a press briefing.

The country had remained a world leader in invention patent applications for seven consecutive years by the end of 2017, with the application number reaching 1.83 million, according to Wang.

Various measures have been unveiled to improve enterprises’ innovation capabilities, including establishing a series of innovation centers and laboratories, increasing support for enterprises in key fields and optimizing innovation-oriented policies.

To further encourage enterprises to innovate, the country will place greater emphasis on innovation in enterprises’ development, and urge them to increase R&D investment with more tax cuts, fund and loan issuances for innovation projects.

More efforts will be made to facilitate the research on core technologies, accelerate the intelligent, green and service-oriented upgrading of manufacturing industry, and advance the integrated development of manufacturing industry and industrial internet, Wang said.

While enhancing resource sharing on various research platforms, the country will promote the application of scientific achievements, encourage domestic enterprises to carry out international innovation cooperation and intensify the protection of intellectual property.

Wang also called for great efforts to help small and medium-sized businesses with technological innovation.