Data recently released by the China Office of World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) showed that in 2025, China filed 73,718 international patent applications via the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) and 5,911 international industrial design applications via the Hague System, ranking first globally in both.
Regarding the international patent system, the total number of international patent applications filed via the PCT in 2025 reached 275,900, a growth of 0.7% compared to 2024, maintaining a growth trend for two consecutive years.
Among them, China ranked first with 73,718 applications, an increase of 5.3%. Followed by the United States (52,617 applications), Japan (47,922 applications), South Korea (25,016 applications), and Germany (16,441 applications).
Huawei Technologies topped the list of applicants by holding 7,523 published applications, maintaining its top position since 2017. Among the top 100 applicant institutions, Japan, China, and the United States had 32, 24, and 17 institutions, respectively. In the education sector, the University of California, USA, retained its top spot in 2025 with 488 published PCT applications, while Tsinghua University ranked second with 227 applications.
Regarding the international industrial design system, in 2025, applications filed under WIPO’s Hague System for the International Registration of Industrial Designs grew by 9.4%, and the number of designs contained in applications grew by 5.2%, reaching a record high of 28,588 designs, reflecting the fifth consecutive year of expansion for the system.
Among these, China ranked first among applicants with 5,911 industrial design applications, an increase of 21.4%. Germany (4,530 designs), the United States (3,882 designs), Switzerland (2,285 designs), and Italy (2,015 designs) ranked second to fifth, respectively. (Mar. 7, 2026, Chinanews.com)
Regarding the international patent system, the total number of international patent applications filed via the PCT in 2025 reached 275,900, a growth of 0.7% compared to 2024, maintaining a growth trend for two consecutive years.
Among them, China ranked first with 73,718 applications, an increase of 5.3%. Followed by the United States (52,617 applications), Japan (47,922 applications), South Korea (25,016 applications), and Germany (16,441 applications).
Huawei Technologies topped the list of applicants by holding 7,523 published applications, maintaining its top position since 2017. Among the top 100 applicant institutions, Japan, China, and the United States had 32, 24, and 17 institutions, respectively. In the education sector, the University of California, USA, retained its top spot in 2025 with 488 published PCT applications, while Tsinghua University ranked second with 227 applications.
Regarding the international industrial design system, in 2025, applications filed under WIPO’s Hague System for the International Registration of Industrial Designs grew by 9.4%, and the number of designs contained in applications grew by 5.2%, reaching a record high of 28,588 designs, reflecting the fifth consecutive year of expansion for the system.
Among these, China ranked first among applicants with 5,911 industrial design applications, an increase of 21.4%. Germany (4,530 designs), the United States (3,882 designs), Switzerland (2,285 designs), and Italy (2,015 designs) ranked second to fifth, respectively. (Mar. 7, 2026, Chinanews.com)