China’s world-leading patent applications being sped up, scrutinised to boost key industries
- Patents are increasingly coming under the spotlight amid Beijing’s push for tech self-reliance in the face of rising international competition
- But criticisms persist, with allegations that quantity is being emphasised over quality, while electrical engineering patents far outpace those in mechanical and chemical fields
China is gradually becoming more efficient and speedier in reviewing its world-leading annual patent applications, in line with broader efforts to spearhead tech innovation amid a heightened global tech race.
However, concerns persist over the lack of original innovation and the uneven development of its extensive patent portfolio that continues to outpace the international field.
The China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA), the country’s top IP regulator, intends to shorten the review period for patent applications made this year to 15.5 months, down from 16 months in 2023 and 16.5 months in 2022, according to its annual work guidelines released on Wednesday.
Before the formal release, the ministry had touched on its plans to improve patent-review standards for emerging fields such as big data, artificial intelligence and genetic technologies.
“[We will] expand the scope of review and expedite the process, as well as strengthen the review mechanisms to support critical technology breakthroughs and the high-quality development of key industries,” Wang Peizhang, director general of the Intellectual Property Utilisation Promotion Department at the CNIPA, said at a press conference on March 29.
Original innovation has consistently been the weakest link in [China’s] self-dependent innovation
Patents are considered an important marker of innovation and technological capabilities, but China has also been criticised for heavily subsidising patent applicants, and for putting an emphasis on quantity over quality.
