In 2024, China granted a total of 1.045 million invention patents, marking a significant year-on-year increase of 13.5%.
By the end of the year, the number of valid domestic invention patents reached 4.756 million, making China the first country to surpass 4 million valid invention patents. In terms of international applications, the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) received 75,000 PCT international patent applications and 4,868 international design applications under the Hague Agreement, a 29.5% year-on-year increase, securing the top global position. Additionally, Madrid international trademark registrations also saw double-digit growth.
The average examination period for invention patents was reduced to 15.5 months in 2024, while the average trademark registration examination period remained stable at 4 months. In 2024, the number of reexamination and invalidation cases rose significantly, 97,100 reexamination requests and 9,100 invalidation requests were received, the latter representing a 4% year-on-year increase. In terms of case closures, 57,700 reexamination cases were concluded, with the average collegial examination period decreasing from 4.7 months in 2023 to 4.4 months. Meanwhile, 9,500 invalidation cases were concluded, a 23.8% year-on-year increase, with an average case cycle of 5.9 months.