Patent applications by nonresidents — all countries

Patent applications by nonresidents — China

Patent applications by nonresidents in China in 2021 — 159,019 filings. Ranked 2 in the world out of 121. Since 1985, the indicator has risen by 3,439.3%.

2021 159,019 filings +4.38% vs 2020
World rank 2of 121
Period maximum 159,019 filings2021
Period minimum 4,051 filings1991

Trend over time

1985–2021 · applications

Patent applications by nonresidents — China, 1985–2021050,000100,000150,000200,00019851989199319972001200520092013201720211985: 4,493 filings1986: 4,515 filings1987: 4,084 filings1988: 4,872 filings1989: 4,910 filings1990: 4,305 filings1991: 4,051 filings1992: 4,387 filings1993: 7,534 filings1994: 7,876 filings1995: 8,688 filings1996: 11,114 filings1997: 12,102 filings1998: 33,645 filings1999: 34,418 filings2000: 26,560 filings2001: 33,412 filings2002: 40,426 filings2003: 48,548 filings2004: 64,598 filings2005: 79,842 filings2006: 88,183 filings2007: 92,101 filings2008: 95,259 filings2009: 85,508 filings2010: 98,111 filings2011: 110,583 filings2012: 117,464 filings2013: 120,200 filings2014: 127,042 filings2015: 133,612 filings2016: 133,522 filings2017: 135,885 filings2018: 148,187 filings2019: 157,093 filings2020: 152,342 filings2021: 159,019 filings
Change over the period: +154,526 (+3,439.26%) Average annual rate: 10.41 %

Comparison, 2021

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: China

China 159,019 filings
World 1.02M filings
Eastern Asia computed 299,174 filings
Upper-middle-income countries computed 233,639 filings
Patent applications by nonresidents — China, by year China All countries CSV XLSX
Year filings Change Change, %
2021 159,019 +6,677 +4.38%
2020 152,342 −4,751 −3.02%
2019 157,093 +8,906 +6.01%
2018 148,187 +12,302 +9.05%
2017 135,885 +2,363 +1.77%
2016 133,522 −90 −0.07%
2015 133,612 +6,570 +5.17%
2014 127,042 +6,842 +5.69%
2013 120,200 +2,736 +2.33%
2012 117,464 +6,881 +6.22%
2011 110,583 +12,472 +12.71%
2010 98,111 +12,603 +14.74%
2009 85,508 −9,751 −10.24%
2008 95,259 +3,158 +3.43%
2007 92,101 +3,918 +4.44%
2006 88,183 +8,341 +10.45%
2005 79,842 +15,244 +23.6%
2004 64,598 +16,050 +33.06%
2003 48,548 +8,122 +20.09%
2002 40,426 +7,014 +20.99%
2001 33,412 +6,852 +25.8%
2000 26,560 −7,858 −22.83%
1999 34,418 +773 +2.3%
1998 33,645 +21,543 +178.01%
1997 12,102 +988 +8.89%
1996 11,114 +2,426 +27.92%
1995 8,688 +812 +10.31%
1994 7,876 +342 +4.54%
1993 7,534 +3,147 +71.73%
1992 4,387 +336 +8.29%
1991 4,051 −254 −5.9%
1990 4,305 −605 −12.32%
1989 4,910 +38 +0.78%
1988 4,872 +788 +19.29%
1987 4,084 −431 −9.55%
1986 4,515 +22 +0.49%
1985 4,493

Eastern Asia, 2021

The same indicator for neighboring countries — with links to their pages

About the indicator

The number of patent applications filed in a country by nonresident applicants. The indicator measures not the inventive activity of the country but the value of its market: a patent has force only where it is granted, so foreign companies file where they intend to sell or where they fear copying. The ratio to applications by residents splits countries into those that invent and those where others file.

Important: A measure of the appeal of a market, not of innovativeness. An application is not a patent: some applications are rejected, and the share of rejections differs across countries.

Source: IP Statistics (WIPO), license CC BY 3.0 IGO.