On February 28, the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) released the latest report, it states that the demand for patent protection keeps growing in 2022. For PCT international patent applications, the innovators from China, America, Japan, Korea and Germany lead the way, with China continuing to top the list, accounting for over a quarter of the total applications.

It shows in the report that in 2022, China is still the country with the largest number of international patent applications in the international patent system ("Patent Cooperation Treaty" PCT), with 70,015 applications, a year-on-year increase of 0.6%. Countries ranking the second to fifth are respectively the United States, Japan, South Korea and Germany. China's Huawei Technologies remains by far the applicant with the most applications, 7,689 announced in 2022.

It is pointed out in the report that the number of PCT international patent applications in 2022 has increased by 0.3%, reaching a total of 278,100, becoming the highest record for the total number of applications in a single year in history. Asia remains the main source of international patent filings, accounting for 54.7% of total filings in 2022, up from 40.3% in 2012.

In the field of education, the University of California remains the top applicant with 552 PCT applications published in 2022, followed by Zhejiang University (309), and then Soochow University (303). Among the top 10 educational institutions, Soochow University records the largest increase, with almost double the number of PCT international patent applications in 2021.

It is also said in the report that in 2022, the number of designs contained in international applications filed through the International Design System of WIPO (Hague System) has increased by 11.2% to 25,028, making a new high. China, as a new member, has sought protection for 2,558 designs and ranks the second. China’s joining the WIPO's international design registration system in 2022 drives a surge in international design filings, demand for design protection showing double-digit growth.

It also can be seen that in 2022, the total number of applications filed via the international trademark system (Madrid System) was about 69,000, in which Chinese applicants filed 4,991 trademark international applications, ranking third.

According to Daren Tang, Director General of the WIPO, the number of international intellectual property applications in 2022 remains basically the same. Businesses continue to invest in innovation despite difficult economic conditions and reduced venture financing. China's accession to WIPO's international design system (Hague System) has promoted design filings from China and other countries, demonstrating that a multilateral approach to international cooperation can benefit all.

From CCTV news client

March 1st, 2023