In 2021, the number of invention patent applications was 1.586 million, a year-on-year increase of 5.9%; that of the granted invention patents was 696,000, a year-on-year increase of 31.3%.

In 2021, the number of utility model patent application was 2.852 million, a year-on-year decrease of 2.5%; that of granted utility model patents was 3.12 million， a year-on-year increase of 31.2%.

In 2021, the number of industrial design patent applications was 806,000, a year-on-year increase of 4.6%; that of authorized industrial design patent applications was 786,000, a year-on-year increase of 7.3%.

In 2021, the number of invention patents conclude was 1.266 million. A total of 77,000 priority review cases of three kinds of patents were accepted, in which 74,000 invention patent applications were involved, a year-on-year increase of 31.5%.

In 2021, the rate of invention authorization in China was 55.0%.

1. Patent

(1) Patent application

In 2021, the number of invention patent applications was 1.586 million, a year-on-year increase of 5.9%. In which 1.428 million domestic invention patent applications were involved, accounting for 90.0%, a year-on-year increase of 6.2%; 158,000 foreign invention patent applications in China were involved, accounting for 10.0%, a year-on-year increase of 3.6%.

In 2021, the number of utility model patent applications was 2.852 million, a year-on-year decrease of 2.5%; industrial design patent applications were 806,000, a year-on-year decrease of 4.6%.

(2) Patent examination

In 2021, the examination period of high-value invention patent was reduced to 13.3 months, the average examination period of invention patent was reduced to 18.5 months. Special cleanup for long-period cases was carried out, where 217,000 long- period cases were concluded throughout the year.

(3) Patent authorization

In 2021, 696,000 invention patents were authorized, a year-on-year increase of 31.3%, where the number of domestic authorized invention patents was 586,000, accounting for 84.2%; the number of foreign invention patents authorized in China was 110,000, a year-on-year increase of 23.0%. Among the domestic invention patent authorizations, 565,000 service invention patents were authorized, accounting for 96.4%, a year-on-year increase of 33.3%; 2,1000 non-service invention patents were granted, accounting for 3.6%, a year-on-year increase of 23.0%.

(4) Valid invention patent holdings

As of the end of 2021, the number of authorized and valid invention patents was 3.597 million, a year-on-year increase of 17.6%, in which the number of domestic invention patents was 2.773 million, accounting for 77.1%, a year-on-year increase of 21.7%; the number of foreign invention patents in China was 824,000, accounting for 22.9%, a year-on-year increase of 5.8%.

(5) PCT international patent application

In 20221, 73,000 PCT international patent applications were accepted, a year-on-year increase of 1.5%.

In 2021, 107,000 PCT international applications entering the Chinese national phase were received, a year-on-year growth of 6.3%, involving 106,000 invention patent applications and 916 utility model patent applications. An accumulation of 1.419 million PCT international applications entering Chinese national phase have been received since 1994.

(6) Patent reexamination and invalidation

In 2021, a total of 76,000 requests for patent reexamination were accepted, a year-on-year growth of 39.2%; 54,000 cases were concluded, a year-on-year growth of 12.4%. The average closed period for a reexamination request is 16.4 months. Among the concluded invention patent reexamination cases, 47.2% were revoked and rejected, and 52.8% were maintained rejection and closed by other methods.

In 2021, 7,628 requests for patent invalidation were accepted, up 23.5% from a year ago; 7,065 cases were closed, down 1.1%. The average period for concluding a patent invalidation request was 5.8 months. In the concluded cases for invention patent invalidation, 24.7% were invalid in whole, 15.0% were partially invalid and 60.4% maintained. In the concluded cases for utility model patent invalidation, whole invalidation accounted for 42.0%, partial invalidation accounted for 17.8%, and patent right maintenance accounted for 40.2%. Among the concluded cases for industrial design patent invalidation, 49.9% were complete invalidation, 0.9% were partial invalidation, and 49.1% maintained.

2. Trademark

(1) Trademark application

In 2021, the number of trademark registration applications in China was 9.451 million, where there were 9.193 million domestic trademark applications, accounting for 97.3%, a year-on-year increase of 0.8%; 258,000 foreign trademark applications in China, accounting for 2.7%, a year-on-year growth of 11.6%.

(2) Trademark examination

In 2021, the examination for 10.568 million trademark registrations was completed, a year-on-year increase of 20.3%. The average examination period for trademark registration applications is stable at 4 months, and the general trademark registration period is reduced to 7 months.

(3) Trademark registration

In 2021, 7.739 million trademarks were registered, increasing 34.3% from a year ago, wherein the number of domestic trademarks registration was 7.545 million, accounting for 97.5%, a year-on-year increase of 35.3%; the number of foreign trademarks registration in China was 194,000, accounting for 2.5%, a year-on-year growth of 5.2%.

In 2021, in the issuance of trademark registration examination of China, preliminary approval accounted for 56.9%, partial rejection accounted for 15.2% and rejection accounted for 27.8%.

(4) Valid registered trademarks

By the end of 2021, there have been 37.24 million valid registered trademarks, a year-on-year growth of 23.4%.

(5) International application for Madrid Trademark registration

In 2021, a total of 5,928 applications for the international registration of Madrid trademarks submitted by Chinese applicants were received. By the end of 2021, the cumulative number of valid Madrid trademark international registrations by Chinese applicants has reached 49,000. The Madrid international trademark registration business has realized electronization, with 97% online application rate. And the average formal examination period for Chinese applicants to apply for Madrid international registration of trademarks has been reduced to 2 months.

In 2021, the top 3 categories of commodities and services for Chinese applicants for Madrid international registration of trademarks are category 9 (scientific instrument, computer, digital storage media, etc.), category 7 (machine, machine tool, motor, etc.), and category 35 (advertising, business operation, etc.).

The top 10 contracting parties designated by Chinese applicants are Russia, the United States, Japan, the United Kingdom, South Korea, Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, Australia, and Malaysia. The top 10 provinces (cities) in the number of applications for international registration of Madrid trademarks by Chinese applicants are Guangdong, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Shanghai, Shandong, Fujian, Beijing, Anhui, Hebei and Hunan.

In 2021, 27,000 applications for the territorial extension of the international registration of Madrid trademarks designated in China by foreign applicants were received. The examination period for the territory extension of the Madrid trademarks international registration designated in China was shortened to 4 months, and the examination period for international transfer, change and renewal was reduced to 1 month, reaching the fastest level ever.

In 2021, the top 5 categories of commodities and services in the Madrid international registration applications designated in China by foreign applicants were category 9 (scientific instruments, computers, digital storage media, etc.), category 42 (scientific and technological services, etc.), category 35 (advertising, commercial operations, etc.), category 5 (pharmaceuticals, etc.) and category 25 (clothing, shoes, hats, etc.).

(6) Trademark opposition

In 2021, 176,000 applications for trademark opposition were accepted, a year-on-year growth of 31.1%, 172,000 opposition applications were reviewed for formal examination, and the examination period for opposition review was reduced to 2.5 months. 164,000 objection examinations were completed, a year-on-year increase of 10.1%, and the average examination period for objections has been reduced to 11 months. For the trademark opposition cases closed in 2021, 38.6% established, 10.4% partially established, and 51.0% not established, malicious registrations were effectively curbed in the opposition procedure.

(7) Trademark review

In 2021, 473,000 applications for various trademark review and adjudication cases were accepted, a year-on-year increase of 28.8%. Among them, 383,000 applications for re-examination were accepted, and 90,000 applications for complex cases involving both parties were accepted. 383,000 review cases of various types were tried and ruled, including 308,000 cases of rejection for review and 74,000 complicated cases involving both parties.

3. Geography indication

(1) Geography indication products

In 2021, 22 applications for the protection of GI products were accepted, 99 GI products were approved for protection, and 7,677 market entities were approved to use specific marks for GI products. As of 2021, an accumulation of 2,490 geographical indication products have been approved, and the number of approved market entities of special indications for geographical indications was 17,000.

(2) Geography indication trademarks

In 2021, 477 geographical indication trademarks were newly approved and registered; as of 2021, a total of 6562 geographical indication trademarks have been registered, including 215 registered by foreign applicants.

According to the data, GIs trademarks are mainly registered for agricultural products and the primary processed products, traditional Chinese medicine materials, tea and porcelain, etc., most closely relating to agriculture.

By the end of 2021, 215 foreign geographical indication trademarks in total have been approved for registration, an increase of 2.4% over the end of 2020. The top 3 countries are: France (154 cases), Italy (24 cases), and the United States (14 cases). The registrations in these 3 countries account for 89.3% of the foreign geographical indication trademark registrations in China.

The top 3 for the number of geographical indication trademarks owned by a single market entity are the Conseil Interprofessionnel du Vin de Bordeaux (141), Huai'an Huaiyin District Livestock Industry Association (Jiangsu, 34), Lianshui County Agricultural and Sideline Products Marketing Association (Jiangsu , 25).

4. Layout design of integrated circuit

In 2021, the number of applications for registration of layout designs of integrated circuits was 20,000, a year-on-year increase of 41.6%; 13,000 credentials were disclosed and issued, a year-on-year increase of 11.6%.

From CNIPA

June 1st, 2022