First, main intellectual property data

1. Patents

In 2024, a total of 1,045,000 invention patents were authorized, up 13.5% year-on-year. The number of patent review cases concluded, and invalidation cases concluded were respectively 67,000. The examination cycle of invention patents was reduced to 15.5 months and the accuracy rate of closing cases increased to 95.2%. A total of 75,000 PCT international patent applications were accepted. Chinese applicants submitted 4,868 international applications for designs through the Hague Agreement, an increase of 29.5% from a year earlier, ranking first in the world.

By the end of 2024, the number of domestic authorized invention patents was 4,756,000, becoming the first country in the world to exceed 4 million.

2. Trademarks

4.781 million trademarks were registered in 2024, up 9.1% year-on-year. 383,000 trademark review cases and 103,000 opposition cases were concluded. The average review period for trademark registration remained stable at 4 months, and the average review period for opposition review cases was further shortened. The qualification rate of various trademark services remained above 97%. 7,039 Madrid trademark international registration applications were received from Chinese applicants throughout the year, 13.6% higher than the previous year.

As of the end of 2024, there were 47.62 million valid trademark registrations.

3. Geographical Indications

A total of 36 geographical indication products were recognized in 2024, 125 geographical indications were approved for registration as collective trademarks and certification trademarks, and 8,680 business entities were approved to use geographical indication special marks.

As of the end of 2024, there were a total of 2,544 geographical indication products recognized, 7,402 registrations of geographical indications as collective trademarks and certification trademarks approved, the total number of operators of geographical indication special marks is nearly 33,000, and the direct output value of geographical indication products exceeds 960 billion yuan, with stable growth for many consecutive years.

4. Integrated Circuit Layout Design

A total of 11,000 integrated circuit layout design registrations and certificates were issued in 2024.

As of the end of 2024, the number of integrated circuit layout design certificates issued was 83,000.

5. Intellectual property protection

The construction of the second batch of 15 demonstration zones for intellectual property rights (IPR) protection was launched. Six national intellectual property protection centers and seven rapid rights protection centers were newly built, the total number reaching 124, and over 193,000 innovative entities were registered. 33 overseas intellectual property dispute response guidance sub-centers were newly built, totaling 80. A total of 72,000 administrative cases of patent infringement disputes were handled by the entire system throughout the year, and intellectual property dispute mediation organizations were guided to accept nearly 140,000 mediation cases.

6. Intellectual property application

The number of patent transfer license registrations for the whole year reached 613,000, up 29.9% year-on-year. The number of patent transfer license registrations for universities and research institutions reached 76 thousand, an increase of 39.1% year-on-year.

Second, the main characteristics of the data

1. The continuous burst of innovation and creativity vitality of the whole society. By the end of 2024, the number of valid invention patents and valid trademark registrations in China respectively increased by 16.3% and 8.1% year-on-year.

2. The position of enterprises as innovative subjects continues to be consolidated. By the end of 2024, there were 497,000 enterprises in China holding valid invention patents, an increase of 69,000 over the same period last year; the number of valid invention patents they hold were 3.506 million, accounting for 73.7% of the total number of valid invention patents in China.

3. Overseas applications for intellectual property rights are becoming more active. In 2024, the number of PCT international patent applications, Hague system design applications, and Madrid trademark international registration applications submitted by Chinese applicants all ranked among the top in the world.

From The State Council Information Office of the People’s Republic of China

January 15th, 2025