Shanghai Municipality, Several Opinions on Further Supporting the Participation by Foreign-invested Research and Development Centers in the Establishment of Globally Influential Scientific and Technological Innovation Centers in Shanghai

Issued: October 10 2017

Main contents: With reference to the Shanghai Municipality, Provisions on Encouraging the Establishment of Regional Headquarters by Multinational Corporations, global research and development centers with independent legal personality that have more than 100 research and development personnel will be offered Rmb5 million in startup assistance; for rent of office space not exceeding 1,000 square meters at a daily rate of not more than Rmb8 per square meter, they will be offered premises lease assistance of 30% of the rent for three years (Article 1).

The investment in and establishment of various forms of open innovation platforms by foreign investors to efficiently connect multinational corporations and micro/small/ medium-sized enterprises, and the innovation resources of innovation teams is supported. The district in which an open innovation platform is established shall offer to such a platform 30% premises assistance for office space not exceeding 1,000 square meters with a daily rent rate of not more than Rmb8 per square meter for three years (Article 2).

With reference to the Shanghai Municipality, Implementing Rules for Supporting Innovation in Industrial Technologies, municipal-level enterprise technology centers of foreign-invested research and development centers launching projects for enhancing their basic innovation capabilities, breaking through and upgrading their key core technologies, smart environmentally-friendly manufacturing, etc. shall be offered dedicated support not exceeding 50% of the relevant outlay for the project and not more than Rmb3 million in total; the establishment of manufacturing innovation centers and platforms for the transformation of various industrial technologies in which foreign-invested research and development centers play a leading role in the establishment thereof is supported (Article 3).

The participation by foreign-invested research and development centers in the establishment of platforms with research, development and transformation functions is encouraged and supported; the participation by foreign-invested research and development centers in the establishment in Shanghai of platforms for the research and development of public services is encouraged and supported (Article 5).

Various forms of private capital shall be guided, through Shanghai's investment fund for industrial transformation and upgrading, in supporting the industrial application of the research and development achievements of foreign-invested research and development centers (Article 7).

If the technology transfer of the innovation achievement of a foreign-invested research and development center is realized in Shanghai or the scientific or technological achievement of an institution of higher learning or a scientific research institute in Shanghai is purchased (licensed), it shall be eligible for Shanghai's policies on the transfer and transformation of scientific and technological achievements (Article 8).

For each invention patent granted to a foreign-invested research and development center through PCT, assistance in an amount not exceeding Rmb250,000 shall be given, with the amount of assistance for each country not exceeding Rmb50,000 and the number of countries not exceeding five. For each high quality domestic invention patent, assistance in an amount of up to Rmb15,000 may be awarded (Article 10).