WIPO reported on February 2007 that Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) filings have seen continuous growth with a higher record in 2006. After debut in the top 10 filers in 2005 for the first time, China took a further step in 2006 and leaped over Switzerland and Sweden to the eighth position with 3,910 PCT applications, with a surge of 56.8%, which took the first position for growth rate among the top ten PCT filing countries.
HUAWEI Technologies (Huawei) and ZTE Corporation (ZTE) as well as other high-tech companies performed excellently in the PCT applications, and made great contributions to China concerning the total amounts of the PCT filings. They ranked 13 and 92 respectively in the most PCT applications among the global companies. By turning eyes to overseas market and concentrating on the International IP protection, as well as imputing capitals into R & D fields and strengthening cooperation relationship with foreign partners, Chinese companies are intending to profit more from patent aspects.
The amount of PCT applications entered into the national phase of China also increased exceptionally compared to the last year. Either designated or selected, China received 48211 PCT applications entered into the national phase in 2006, with a rise of 7407 compared to 2005. The huge potential of the Chinese market is unfolded before the world day by day, which have draw more eyes from the multinational companies.
