China has amassed 5 million invention patents, emphasizing quality over quantity

BEIJING -- China has become the first country to amass over 5 million valid domestic invention patents, and its international patent applications submitted via the Patent Cooperation Treaty have led globally for six consecutive years, the country's top intellectual property (IP) regulator said on Tuesday.

By June 2025, the number of high-value invention patents per 10,000 people in China had reached 15.3, surpassing the goal of 12 set out in the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25) ahead of schedule, according to the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA).

The technology transfer rate among universities and research institutions has risen steadily. Notably, the industrialization rate of enterprise invention patents increased from 44.9 percent in 2020 to 53.3 percent in 2024.

During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, China's IP landscape has undergone a strategic shift from emphasizing quantity accumulation to pursuing quality enhancement, according to the CNIPA.

This transition has accelerated the commercialization of high-value patents, illustrating the country's innovation-driven development and laying a solid foundation to achieve greater self-reliance and strength in science and technology over the upcoming 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-30).