Shanghai's first intellectual property protection center was officially set up on July 25 in the city's Pudong New District, according to local authorities.

The center will launch a "green pathway" to enable a faster examination of patents and decrease the authorization time to less than 15 months from original 30 months, said Lyu Quoqiang, head of the Shanghai intellectual property administration.

Pudong is home to burgeoning high-end equipment manufacturing and bio-pharmaceutical industries, where demand for intellectual property rights service is high.

In 2016, Pudong enterprises filed more than 9,500 patent applications in high-end equipment manufacturing industry and 2,300 in bio-pharmaceutical industry.

A complaint channel will also be launched to investigate suspected violations of patents, trademarks and copyrights.

The center will work with Shanghai intellectual property court to enhance intellectual property rights protection.