The World Intellectual Property Organization recently released the "Global Innovation Index (GII) 2025" report, in which China's ranking has risen to 10th in the world, up 25 places from 35th in 2013, and has entered the top 10 for the first time, maintaining a leading position among middle-income economies worldwide. This historic breakthrough not only marks an overall leap in China's innovation capability, but also sets a benchmark for middle-income economies worldwide. The rise of innovation in China is not accidental, but the inevitable result of long-term strategic layout, sustained investment, and systematic reform. The leap of China's innovation strength is due to unprecedented research and development investment. In recent years, China's overall R&D expenditure has continued to grow, increasing from 1.42 trillion yuan in 2015 to 3.61 trillion yuan in 2024, accounting for a proportion of GDP that has reached and exceeded the level of many developed countries. The long-term stable growth of research and development investment reflects China's strategic determination to adhere to innovation driven development. Years of investment have built a full chain innovation system covering basic research, applied research, and achievement transformation. From the lunar exploration of Chang'e to the deep diving of Jiaolong, from quantum computing to artificial intelligence, from domestically produced shield tunneling machines to domestically produced large aircraft, a series of major scientific and technological achievements have emerged. China has consistently ranked first in the world in terms of PCT international patent applications for many years. This efficient cycle of "high input high output" is becoming the core driving force behind the rise of China's innovation index. The confidence of China's innovative growth comes from the outstanding competitiveness of high-tech industries. Behind China's steady improvement in innovation rankings is an increasingly robust innovation industry chain. National laboratories, new research and development institutions, leading technology enterprises, and specialized and innovative "little giants" have formed a chain of papers, patents, standards, products, and industries, making innovation not only a breakthrough in the laboratory, but also a tangible profit on the production line. China has become the world's largest exporter of high-tech products, occupying a leading position in fields such as 5G communication, new energy vehicles, and digital economy. Taking new energy vehicles as an example, Chinese car brands not only win in the domestic market, but also expand their territory in the international market. The production and sales of new energy vehicles have ranked first in the world for 10 consecutive years. China's complete industrial chain advantages and technological innovation capabilities jointly support the expansion of high-tech product exports, not only driving economic growth, but also deeply integrating into the global innovation network, changing the global pattern of technology trade and industrial division of labor. The breakthrough of China's innovation achievements is attributed to its unique "systematic innovation" model. In China, the government provides clear direction and institutional guarantees for innovation through long-term strategic planning, industrial policy guidance, and major national science and technology projects. The rise of enterprises, especially private technology companies, has led to a simultaneous development of China's innovation as a "national team" and a "corporate team". Huawei, Tencent, BYD and other companies have not only become innovative entities, but also play increasingly important roles in international standard setting and technological competition. The report shows that China ranks second globally in both venture capital and corporate financing research and development, indicating that the role of China's private sector in innovation is becoming increasingly prominent. The "system innovation" model has also promoted the prosperity of China's innovation ecosystem and innovation highland. China has 24 of the world's top 100 innovation clusters, the largest number in the world. Among them, Shenzhen Hong Kong Guangzhou jumped to the top of the global innovation cluster ranking for the first time, while Beijing (4th) and Shanghai Suzhou (6th) clusters entered the top ten. These innovation clusters have become a hot spot for global patent applications, technological innovation, and venture capital. Entering the top ten global innovators is a new starting point. In the future, China still needs to seek breakthroughs in various aspects to improve the quality and efficiency of innovation. One is to strengthen basic research and original innovation, and reduce the external dependence of key technologies; The second is to further improve the innovation ecological environment, including intellectual property protection, mechanisms for the transformation of scientific and technological achievements, and the cultivation of innovative talents; Thirdly, we will continue to deepen international scientific and technological cooperation and provide Chinese solutions to major global challenges. The changes in the Global Innovation Index ranking are a microcosm of the transformation of the world's innovation landscape. As long as we maintain strategic determination and continue to deepen reforms, China's path of innovation will become increasingly broad, injecting lasting momentum into promoting high-quality development and making greater contributions to building a community with a shared future for mankind. (New Society)