BEIJING, Mar. 11 (China Daily) -- China was the fastest-growing origin of patent applications in Europe again last year, according to an annual report released by the European Patent Office last week in Brussels.

The report shows that the number of European patent applications in 2015 grew by 4.8 percent to about 160,000, reaching a new high. They included nearly 98,300 international filings through the Patent Cooperation Treaty.

The figure is "an indicator of the growing demand for patent protection from businesses worldwide", said the report.

It also said the increase was "fueled mainly by companies from the United States and China".

The top five origins of EPO patent applications were the US, Germany, Japan, France and the Netherlands. China, ranked eighth on the list, filed 5,721 patent applications in 2015, an increase of 22.2 percent from 2014. Patent application from the US increased 16.4 percent, the second-largest growth rate.

"The remarkable growth in patent applications at the EPO proves that Europe continues to be a hub for innovators from all over the world, and an attractive technology market," said EPO President Benoit Battistelli. "It reflects the interest of businesses and inventors in opting for high-quality patent protection for the European market.

"Despite the impressive growth in applications from outside Europe, the balance of the number of patent applications made by European companies in other regions remains clearly positive, which underlines the innovative potential of the European economy."

Battistelli told People's Daily that the "impressive" growth from China represented the nation's dynamic innovation and demand for overseas development.

Philips, with 2,402 patent filings, topped the list of companies with the most patent applications, followed by Samsung and LG. Huawei, with 1,953 applications, moved from fifth place in 2014 to fourth last year, and was the highest-ranking company from China.

The field of medical technology attracted more than 12,000 patent applications in 2015, the highest number of patent applications at the EPO, growing by 11 percent from 2014. Other areas that "showed significant growth" included engines, pumps and turbines, pharmaceuticals and computer technology.

In the EPO's 2015 annual report, China was said to have a "spectacular rise" of 18.2 percent in patent filings with the EPO, leading all countries and regions.