Intellectual resources is a key factor of the regional competitiveness as well as the object which a city or region competes for.Therefore, the development of regional intellectual resources plays a much important role in improving regional competitiveness in the coming of knowledge-based economy.After several decades of high intensive exploitation, Northeast China lost its traditional advantages of nature resources, the regional competitiveness decreased in recent years.In the face of the new challenge and opportunity of the 21st century, this area needs to develop regional intellectual resources, which is a strategic policy for improving regional competitiveness.Northeast China is rich of high quality intellectual resources compared with most central and western China areas.There are 2.07 million skilled personnel in state-owned sectors and 140 colleges and universities, which respectively occupy higher percentage of 9.91%and 13.70% of the whole nation, in contrast to 8.39% of the total population of China.Moreover the substantial factors for science progress surpass most areas of the country, and the indices for assessing regional intellectual resources rank ahead the like.However this region is lack of investment in education and technology development in recent decade, and the investment structure is not rational.The enterprises have not become the main players for investing R&D, the system reform of science and technology still has a long way to go.Anyway it is true that there is a huge potential for developing intellectual resources, yet the intellectual resources differentiate unevenly in this region.Furthermore this study makes an assessment on the intellectual resources development potential in this region by the method of AHP.33 sample areas are rated to 5 level groups.Based on the regional intellectual resources potential, the paper addresses 4 aspects for upgrading regional competitiveness.The first is to reconstruct old industrial sectors paralleling with hi-tech industry development, the second is to improve agricultural competitiveness; the third is to develop this area to be one of key scientific research and high education base for the country; the fourth is to strengthen urban economic competitiveness by reviving service industries.In this regard, Northeast China needs to establish comprehensive polices dealing with intellectual resources, and to make breakthrough in system, investment, human capital policy and management etc.