According to the European Patent Office (EPO), the number of patent applications filed to the EPO in China reached a record 9,401 in 2018, ranking fifth in applicant country.

According to EPO, the number of patent applications submitted by China last year had increased by 8.8% compared with 2017, and more than six times of that of 2008, mainly in the fields of digital communication, computer technology, motors, instruments, energy and telecommunications. Among which, digital communication was found with the most applications. Also, about 20% of the patent applications in the digital communications field received by the EPO last year came from China, ranking second among all applicant countries.

It’s also reported that EPO had approved more than 127,000 patent applications last year, of which 4,831 were from China.

(Source: Xinhua News Agency)