Chinese PCT applications top the world for 5 consecutive years

(ECNS) -- Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) applications filed by Chinese had reached nearly 70,000 by the end of 2023, ranking first in the world for five consecutive years, according to the China National Intellectual Property Administration.

Chinese PCT applications that the administration has received account for more than one-fourth of the global total, it said.

2024 marks the 30th anniversary of China's accession to the PCT, important international treaties in the field of intellectual property.

Established in 1970, the PCT currently has 158 contracting states. Applicants who submit a single PCT international patent application can seek patent protection in multiple contracting countries.