World 3.4 million patents, China accounts for half

Production line at a Biotechnology Company in Shandong province, China - Illustration photo: THX/TTXVN

A report released on June 28 by the German Association of Research-Based Pharmaceutical Companies (VFA) showed that a total of 3.4 million patent applications were approved worldwide in 2022, of which nearly 50% were from China.

This is a significant increase from the 635,000 applications filed in 1980, of which only 44 were from China.

"China is rapidly emerging as a center of business and innovation," said Claus Michelsen, chief economist at the VFA. He said China's scientific development and subsequent patenting activity were "unprecedented in recent economic history."

According to VFA, since the beginning of this millennium, China has built a scientific and innovative system, reflected in the significant increase in the number of domestic college or university students. If in 2000, the number of college or university students in this country was 7 million, in 2022 it increased to more than 35 million.

Most of China’s patent applications from 2018 to 2022 were for computers, sensors, electrical machinery and digital technology, while the country has also shown growing ambitions in pharmaceuticals and biotechnology through its patent applications.

In addition to China's patent applications, the remaining 1.5 million applications in 2022 are from 27 other countries, including the United States, Japan and European Union countries.

According to VFA, Europe still dominates the automotive and medical technology sectors. The VFA report argues that the continent needs to invest strategically, especially in key high-tech industries.

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/the-gioi-3-4-trieu-bang-sang-che-trung-quoc-chiem-mot-nua-20240629115207171.htm