The Chinese central government says the growing number of intellectual property applications filed domestically by foreign parties attests to overseas confidence in China’s commercial environment.
Data from the National Intellectual Property Administration (NIPA) indicates that in the first half of 2019 the number of foreign intellectual property applications in China reached 78,000, for a YoY rise of 8.6%.
The number of trademark applications filed by foreigners in China was 127,000, for a YoY rise of 15.4%.
Japan, the USA and Germany were the top three foreign patent applicants in China for the period, while the USA, Japan and the UK were the top three trademark applicants.
Ge Shu (葛树), head of NIPA’s strategic planning department, said that the volume of non-domestic resident intellectual property applications was a “weather vane” and “barometer” for the level of intellectual property protection provided by a country, as well as its commercial environment.
“The continued rapid growth in the number of foreign patent and trademark applications in China indicates that foreign enterprises are expanding the vigour of their investment in China,” Ge said.
“The continued acceleration in their Chinese intellectual property arrangements indicates that foreign enterprises are coming to China to invest and start businesses, and that their drive to enjoy Chinese development opportunities is undiminished.”
