The U.N. patent agency says the U.S. and China led a strong comeback in the number of patent and trademark filings worldwide, signs of businesses setting the stage for growth despite global financial turmoil. WIPO Director General Francis Gurry attributed the rise to the "knowledge economy" and globalization led by U.S. and Chinese innovation. (UN patent filings stage comeback in 2010 led by US, Chinese innovation, by The Associated Press)

Comment:

Because of the global economic recession, patent and trademark filings fell in 2009， the first such downturn since 1978, but followed by a rebound in 2010. Here, we can see that China is developing itself into an innovation-oriented country.

The country that invented the compass, gunpowder and printing is challenging America in the innovation stakes. We estimate that in 2011 more patents were granted to residents in China than in America. The quality of some Chinese patents may be dubious but they will surely improve. (How to get a date, by The Economist)

Comment:

It is found from a study that over half of the 21 indicators of economic power, such as steel consumption, fixed investment and number of patents granted to residents, China has already overtaken America, and will be on top of virtually all indicators within a decade. Perhaps this is why in an early 2011 survey, when asked which country is the leading economic power, 43% of US respondents answered "China".

(China IP News)