China secured the top spot globally for invention patent grants in the core industries of the digital economy in 2024, according to the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA). The country issued 500,000 invention patents last year, marking a 23.1 percent year-on-year increase—well above the global average. Speaking at the 14th China Intellectual Property Annual Conference, officials noted that China now holds about 60 percent of the world’s AI-related patents.
Internationally, patents from China’s digital economy industries have grown steadily, rising from 21,000 in 2016 to 52,000 in 2024. Foreign interest has also increased, with enterprises from 95 countries and regions holding 407,000 valid invention patents in China by the end of last year—43.7 percent of all foreign patents in the country. CNIPA head Shen Changyu said this trend shows strong confidence from global businesses in China’s digital economy.
Credit: CGTN
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