The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) released the 2023 global intellectual property (IP) filing statistics recently, showcasing China's brilliant performance in innovation.

Data show that in 2023, the total number of patent applications filed under Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) amounted to 272,600, and China continued to reign the top origin of PCT applications for the fifth consecutive year. The total number of international trademarks applications filed under WIPO's Madrid System reached 64,200 in 2023, 10,987 of which were submitted by the top-performing US-based applicants, followed by those located in Germany (6,613) and China (5,473). Among the top ten countries of origin, only China and the Republic of Korea saw an increase in international trademark applications, with Chinese applicants registering a 7.7% growth compared to 2022. In 2023, the total number of designs included in international applications under WIPO's Hague System reached a record high of 25,343, marking the third consecutive year of growth. Germany remained the top user of the international design system with 4,517 designs, followed by China (3,758) and the U.S. (2,668). Among the top ten countries, only China and Türkiye experienced double-digit growth in 2023.

In terms of PCT applicants, Chinese enterprises rose on the stage with 14 ones making the top 50. In 2023, China's Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. was the top filer with 6,494 published PCT applications. Among the top ten applicants, four were from China with Contemporary Amperex Technology of China experiencing the fastest growth by moving up 84 positions to eighth place.

In the education sector of PCT applicants, a total of 12 Chinese universities were included in the top 50 educational institutions. The University of California System (U.S.) remained the top applicant with 531 published PCT applications. Suzhou University came in second (China, 332 applications) followed by the University of Texas System (U.S., 217 applications), Tsinghua University (China, 209 applicants) and Stanford University (U.S., 180 applicants).

"Longer-term trends show IP use rising steadily in an increasingly global, digitalized economy and spreading across the globe as economies around the world develop. Countries in Asia now represent 55.7% of international patent applications via WIPO – up from 40.5 percent just one decade ago. WIPO is dedicated to furthering a global uptake in IP use, particularly with groups that have historically been under-represented in the IP sector, like SMEs, youth and women. Increased innovation and creativity anywhere benefit all of us, wherever we live," WIPO Director General Daren Tang outlined.