In 2021, China surpassed the U.S. to become the top jurisdiction in terms of number of patents in force with 3.6 million. China housed 37.2 million active trademarks. The largest number of design registrations in force was also in China with 2.6 million, according to the World Intellectual Property Indicators (WIPI) report 2022 unveiled by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) on November 21. The report shows that China ranked first in various indicators, reflecting the progresses China has made in IP comprehensive strength and S&T innovation capacity.

Global innovation shows resilience

Bucking the trend from the previous economic downturns, IP filing remained strong during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and soared in 2021, the report shows.

Innovators around the world filed 3.4 million patent applications in 2021, up 3.6% from the previous year with offices in Asia receiving 67.6% of all applications worldwide. An estimated 13.9 million trademark applications covering 18.1 million classes were filed worldwide in 2021, and the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) had the highest volume of filing activity with a class count of around 9.5 million, followed by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (899,678), the European Union Intellectual Property Office (497,542). An estimated 1.2 million industrial design were filed worldwide in 2021. Global intellectual property filings for patents, trademarks and designs reached new heights in 2021, showing the resilience of the global innovation ecosystem during the pandemic, according to the report.

"The latest WIPI data show continued and sustained growth in IP filings, driven largely by increases from Asia, with other regions also trending mostly upward. IP filing strength during the pandemic showed that people across the world continued to innovate and create despite the economic and social disruptions caused by the pandemic," said WIPO Director General Daren Tang. Mr. Tang noted however: "This resilience should not be taken for granted. The challenges facing us right now such as climate change and the achievement of the UN SDGs (United Nations Sustainable Development Goals) mean that we have to continue supporting innovators and creators to use the IP system to bring their ideas to reality, and create the impact that will change our lives for the better."

China witnesses substantial growth across the board

Strong growth in local patent filings in China, South Korea an India drove the global growth in patent applications in 2021. China witnesses big numbers in all IP categories.

In terms of patent, patents in force worldwide reached around 16.5 million in 2021, 3.6 million of which were from China. There were an estimated 73.7 million active trademark registration at 149 IP offices in 2021, with 37.2 million in China alone. In parallel, the total number of industrial design registration in force worldwide grew by 10.9% in 2021 to reach around 5.3 million, and the largest number of registrations in force was in China (2.6 million). Data from 93 national and regional authorities show there are an estimated 63,600 geographical indications (GIs) under protection in 2021, and China (9,052) reported the largest number of GIs in force.

China's ranking top in multiple indicators reflect China's efforts in bolstering IP protection and use and building China into an IP power house in the world. It also can be corroborated by the facts that the Hague Agreement and the Marrakesh Treaty became effective in China; China has been moving up the ladder consistently in Global Innovation Index for ten consecutive years; and China is home to two of the top five world science and technology clusters. For many years, China has attached great importance to openness and cooperation and evolved itself from a learner and follower into a partner and leader of international IP norm-setting activities. It not only beefs up its socio-economic development, but makes great contribution to the global innovation and prosperity.

China will share experience with other countries in the world, and join forces to build a more vigorous and effective global IP ecosystem, so as to make innovation fruits benefit people around the world and facilitate common development.(by Xue Peiwen)

2021年，中国的有效专利数量达到360万件，超过美国成为全球有效专利数量最多的管辖区域；中国成为有效商标注册量最多的国家，达到3720万件；中国工业品外观设计有效注册数量达到260万件，排名全球第一……在11月21日世界知识产权组织（WIPO）发布的2022年《世界知识产权指标》（WIPI）报告中，中国多项知识产权指标位居全球首位，展现出中国知识产权综合实力和科技创新能力的显著进步。

全球创新发展韧性显现

报告显示，与以往经济衰退的趋势相反，在2020年新冠肺炎疫情流行高峰期期间，全球知识产权申请量依然强劲，并在2021年实现飙升。

2021年，世界各地的创新者提交了340万件专利申请，同比增长3.6%，其中亚洲各知识产权管理部门受理的专利申请量占全世界总申请量的67.6%；全球约有1390万件商标申请，涵盖了1810万个类别，其中中国国家知识产权局受理的商标申请数量最多，按类统计约950万件，其次为美国专利商标局（89.9678万件）、欧盟知识产权局（49.7542万件）；全球共提交了约120万件工业品外观设计申请……报告指出，2021年，全球专利、商标和外观设计领域的知识产权申请量创下新高，展现了全球创新生态系统在新冠肺炎疫情流行期间的发展韧性。

“WIPI的最新数据显示，知识产权申请量持续不断地增长，主要是由亚洲的增长所推动，其他地区也大多呈上升趋势。新冠肺炎疫情流行期间的知识产权申请量走强表明，全世界的人们仍在继续创新和创造。”世界知识产权组织总干事邓鸿森表示，这种发展韧性来之不易。我们仍面临着气候变化和实现联合国可持续发展目标等挑战，这意味着我们必须继续支持创新者和创造者利用知识产权制度将其想法变为现实，让我们的生活变得更加美好。

中国知识产权实力强劲

纵观今年的WIPI报告，2021年全球知识产权申请量持续增长，主要得益于中国、韩国、印度等亚洲国家的推动，其中中国的知识产权亮眼表现引人关注。

数据显示，在专利方面，2021年，在全球约1650万件有效专利数量中，中国的有效专利数量最多，达到360万件。在商标方面，2021年，全球149个国家和地区知识产权管理机构的有效商标注册总量约达7370万件，中国以约3720万件位居首位。在工业品外观设计领域，2021年，全球范围内的有效工业品外观设计注册总量增长了10.9%，达到约530万件，其中有效注册数量最多的是中国（260万件）。在地理标志方面，2021年，全球93个国家和地区的知识产权管理机构共有约6.36万件有效地理标志受到保护，其中中国的有效地理标志数量最多，达9052件。

中国多项知识产权指标位居全球首位，反映了中国强化知识产权保护和运用，扎实推进知识产权强国建设并取得丰硕成果。海牙协定和马拉喀什条约对华生效；中国全球创新指数排名连续十年稳步上升；世界五大科技集群中，中国独占2席……多年来，中国坚持开放合作，从知识产权国际规则的学习者、遵循者向参与者、引领者转变，不仅推动了中国经济社会发展，也为促进全球创新和经济繁荣作出了积极贡献。

面向未来，中国将与世界各国分享发展机遇，共同打造更富活力、更有效力的全球知识产权生态系统，让创新成果造福各国人民，促进共同发展。（薛佩雯）