IFIA WIPO International Symposium 1988 on “Creativity and the Promotion of Inventive Activities” was held in Beijing, from October 10 and 14 in 1988. It was jointly organized by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), and the International federation of Inventors Association (IFIA), in cooperation with the State and Technology Commission of China (SSTC) and the China Association of Invention (CAI) and with the assistance of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP). It was held in conjunction with the General Assembly of IFIA and the Beijing International Exhibition of Inventions. There were 125 participants including government officials working in the institutions and departments, officials of national associations of inventors and representatives of other interested circles from 32 countries.

The following Five topics were examined in the symposium:

1. Evaluation of human qualities necessary for invention,
2. How to encourage young people to be creative,
3. How to encourage inventors in enterprises and R&D centers,
4. How government institutions and inventors associations can make better known the intellectual property system to inventors and potential inventors and
5. How to create a favorable environment for inventiveness, particularly in rural areas