The recent China Business Summit has some interesting discussion summaries available.

Of particular note: Innovation in China: What Does Success Really Look Like? Among the points made:

Since China reformed its patent system in 1985, one million applications were received by 2000. That number doubled by 2004, and presently more than three million applications were received, said Wang Jingchuan, Senior Adviser, State Intellectual Property Office, People's Republic of China. “There is growing understanding and enthusiasm for IPR and the patent process,” enthused Wang.

My own view, after recent trips to Hong Kong, Viet Nam, Korea, and Tokyo, is that the Asian nations rather like the idea of the current model in which one nation/region provides IP and collects the rewards of innovation while others provide the low-margin production work -- but they would like to make one teeny adjustment in which of these roles are assigned to which regions.