China’s patent application reaches new high in 2017

Workers assemble micro and special motors used in phones at a manufacturer in Huaibei, Anhui province, Dec. 8, 2017. Up to now, the annual production capacity in this city has reached 250 million, accounting for one fifth of the global market, and the self-developed micro motors have been used in phones of Microsoft, Samsung, Apple, Huawei, Xiaomi and other famous brands. The micro motors, which have been granted with over 100 patents, are often in short supply. (Photo from CFP)

China became one of the top five origins of patent applications submitted to European Patent Office (EPO) in 2017 and hit a new high in the number of applications, according to the EPO’s press conference on Wednesday in Brussels.

The EPO statistics showed that the number of patent applications from outside Europe grew by 3.9 percent from a year ago to 166,000 in 2017, of which 8,330 applications were filed by China, up 16.6 percent over the previous year.

The world’s first 8.8-meter smart scraper conveyor for a working face with large mining height is completed, Jan. 28, 2018. Since the major equipment was developed independently by China in 2011, it has replaced the imported equipment from Europe and the US. It has been granted 37 patents and won many prizes of mining industry. (Photo from CFP)

It made the world's second largest economy the fifth largest origin of EPO patent applications for the first time, surpassing Switzerland and ranking only after the US, Germany, Japan and France.

Data revealed that China’s patent applications at home and abroad totaled about 3.7 million last year, of which about 1.84 million were granted with patents.

These applications from China, featuring larger number, improved quality and optimized structure, signified China’s substantial improvement of overall creativity and efficiency.

China’s high-tech manufacturing, ranging from quantum satellite "Micius", global network of Beidou satellites to FAST, the Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Radio Telescope, has gained worldwide attention. Mobile payment and shared bikes also win many likes from other countries.

Chinese companies such as Huawei are full of dynamic innovation thanks to the decision makers’ strong support to startups, innovation, as well as emerging business forms like sharing and digital economy.

Huawei, with 2,398 applications, topped the list of companies, and most of them are patents for new inventions, data from EPO reveled.

Reporters covering the Mobile World Congress, which kicked off in Barcelona, Spain, Feb. 26, 2018, take photos of the newest laptop exhibited by Chinese manufacturer Huawei. China-made products had a eye-catching performance during the event. (Photo by Jiang Bo from People’s Daily)

According to statistics, China spent 1.76 trillion yuan ($278.05 billion) on research and development in 2017, seeing a growth of 70.9 percent compared with the 2012 figure. In addition to the increased spending, Chinese government adopted policies to cultivate domestic talents and attract overseas elites.

Beijing, for instance, recently rolled out favorable exit and entry policies to lure overseas talents for tech hub Zhongguancun, known as China’s “Silicon Valley”.