China has emerged as the top country for international patent applications under the Patent Cooperation Treaty.
China continues to lead international patent applications under PCT, maintaining their position in first place for five years in a row — as highlighted by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) chief at the 2024 International Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property (AIPPI) world congress.
WIPO Director General Daren Tang noted that when China first joined the PCT of WIPO, the annual number of international patents under the PCT framework was a mere 100 or so. Approximately 20 years later, the number has surged close to 70,000. He also remarked that it is a significant milestone for the congress, which began on Saturday in Hangzhou, to be hosted in China for the very first time.
AIPPI President Shoichi Okuyama stated that the number of IP applications in China has increased dramatically in recent years, positioning the country as the leader in international patent applications.
Similarly, we recently reported that China has been dominating the AI patent landscape as the country surges past the global average for filed patents within the industry.
Okuyama notes that this trend reflects significant breakthroughs in China’s scientific and technological innovation prowess. He states that the country has been developing and improving its IP protection laws, partly through collaboration and communication with various international parties.
China became the first ever country to surpass 4 million valid domestic invention patents. The country also ranks highest internationally for various IP systems, such as international patents via PCT, design patents under the Hague System and trademarks via the Madrid System.
Read more about the Patent Cooperation Treaty here.
(source: Xinhua)
