On January 19^th, SIPO released 2016 Beijing statistical data concerning key issues (summarized below):

   In 2016, SIPO accepted 1,339,000 applications for invention patents, representing an annual increase of 21.5%. 2016 was the sixth straight year that China has led the world in this category. 404,000 of these patents were granted in 2016. Among these, 302,000  represented domestic inventions, representing an annual increase of 39,000, of 14.5%. Among domestic invention patents, 276,000, or 90%, were service inventions, while non-service inventions accounted for 8.6% of the total.

   SIPO accepted 45,000 applications for PCT patents, representing an annual increase of 47.3%.

In 2016, 48,916 patent enforcement cases were filed in China, representing an annual increase of 36.5%. Among those cases, 20,859 were patent disputes (including 20,351 patent infringement cases), representing an annual increase of 36.5%. 28,057 were investigations and punishments for patent counterfeiting, representing an annual increase of 32.1%.

   The Patent Reexamination Board accepted 13,107 requests for reexamination and settled 17,623 requests. It accepted 3,969 requests for invalidation declarations and settled 4,100 requests.

2016 saw 13,123 patent law enforcement cases involving e-commerce, representing an annual increase of 71.4%. Cooperation in cross-regional enforcement actions was enhanced through the establishment of a cooperation and coordination mechanism for e-commerce patent law enforcement.

Via SIPO