China’s IP Examination and Registration Statistical Report for August 2025
Published 18 September 2025
Xia Yu
On 16 September 2025, China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) released the Monthly Statistics Report on Examination and Registration for August 2025 (“Report”), which summarizes the examination and registration data for patents, trademarks, geographical indications (“GIs”), and layout designs of integrated circuits (“LDIC”) for the month of August 2025 and the cumulative period from January to August 2025. According to the statistical data in the Report, the number of patent grants in China decreased significantly this year, while the examination efficiency for trademark review cases increased markedly.
In the area of patents, the cumulative number of grants for both invention and utility model patents saw a decline exceeding 20% this year. Furthermore, both the volume and proportion of granted foreign invention patents decreased. From January to August 2025, the number of patent grants was 568,369 for invention patents, 1,002,323 for utility model patents, and 424,312 for design patents. Compared with the same period last year, the grants for invention and utility model patents decreased by 23.2% and 26.3%, respectively. For invention patents, the grant volume for foreign inventions decreased by 29,297, and their share dropped by 2 percentage points. Among domestic patent grants, enterprises continued to hold the largest proportion, accounting for 72.4% of invention patents, 91.3% of utility model patents, and 75.5% of design patents. Compared with the same period last year, the proportion of grants to enterprises for utility model and design patents increased by 3% and 3.4%, respectively.
As of August this year, the numbers of effective invention, utility model, and design patents were 6,053,517, 11,683,043, and 3,120,410, respectively. Compared with the same period last year, the proportion of effective foreign invention patents decreased by 1.4%, while the proportions for utility model and design patents remained unchanged. Additionally, the proportion of effective patents held by enterprises increased by 1.5% for invention patents, 1.3% for utility model patents, and 4.1% for design patents.
In August 2025, 6,107 PCT patent applications were accepted. This represents a decrease of 1,014 applications compared to the acceptance volume in the same period last year. However, the number of accepted foreign-origin PCT patent applications increased by 72. For the cumulative period from January to August, 48,164 PCT patent applications were accepted, reflecting an increase of 2,009 applications compared to the cumulative acceptance volume during the same period in the prior year. In contrast, the cumulative number of accepted foreign-origin PCT patent applications decreased by 43.
In the area of trademarks, the proportion of effective foreign-owned registered trademarks experienced a slight decline, while the examination efficiency for review cases increased significantly. As of August this year, the cumulative number of effective registered trademarks was 51,694,257. Compared with the same period last year, the proportion of cumulative effective foreign-owned registered trademarks decreased by 0.1%. From January to August this year, the cumulative number of effective registered trademarks was 2,850,724, of which 83,680 were foreign-owned. This represents a decrease of 0.2% in the proportion compared to the same period last year. Opposition-related operations remained largely unchanged compared to the same period last year. The cumulative number of opposition applications received during the year was 76,845, and the number of opposition decisions rendered was 70,428. For review cases, the cumulative numbers of applications and decisions rendered this year were 254,891 and 251,768, respectively. Although the number of applications decreased by 29,862 compared to the same period last year, the number of decisions rendered increased by 14,002. This decrease and increase together indicate a notable improvement in the examination efficiency for review cases. Furthermore, compared to the previous month, the number of decisions rendered in review cases decreased sharply, dropping from 40,463 in July to 10,372 in August. Within this total, the number of decisions rendered in rejection review cases and invalidation declaration review cases decreased by 21,707 and 6,893, respectively.
In respect of GIs, the numbers of preliminary approvals and final approvals for GI products, as well as the registrations as collective trademarks and certification trademarks, remained unchanged this month. From January to August 2025, 30 GI products received preliminary approval, and 38 GIs were registered as collective trademarks or certification trademarks. These figures show no change compared to the previous month. However, they reflect a decrease of two and seventy, respectively, compared to the same period last year. The number of approved GI products reached 1,574, unchanged from the previous month but representing a significant increase compared to the 15 approvals recorded in the same period last year. The number of operating entities authorized to use the special symbol for GIs reached 13,995, an increase of 396 compared to the previous month and a rise of 7,705 compared to the same period last year.
In respect of LDIC, as of the end of August this year, the CNIPA had cumulatively received 7,318 applications and issued 6,405 certificates. These figures represent decreases of 56 and 546, respectively, compared to the same period last year. It is anticipated that the annual application volume and the number of certificates issued for the full year will each be approximately ten thousand, which is unlikely to surpass the peak of twenty thousand recorded in 2021.
In conclusion, there has been a marked overall decrease in patent grants in China this year, with the share of foreign-invented patents gradually decreasing. The improved efficiency in examining trademark review cases has contributed to a reduction in the trademark examination cycle. Application activity for both GIs and LDIC has moderated.
In the area of patents, the cumulative number of grants for both invention and utility model patents saw a decline exceeding 20% this year. Furthermore, both the volume and proportion of granted foreign invention patents decreased. From January to August 2025, the number of patent grants was 568,369 for invention patents, 1,002,323 for utility model patents, and 424,312 for design patents. Compared with the same period last year, the grants for invention and utility model patents decreased by 23.2% and 26.3%, respectively. For invention patents, the grant volume for foreign inventions decreased by 29,297, and their share dropped by 2 percentage points. Among domestic patent grants, enterprises continued to hold the largest proportion, accounting for 72.4% of invention patents, 91.3% of utility model patents, and 75.5% of design patents. Compared with the same period last year, the proportion of grants to enterprises for utility model and design patents increased by 3% and 3.4%, respectively.
As of August this year, the numbers of effective invention, utility model, and design patents were 6,053,517, 11,683,043, and 3,120,410, respectively. Compared with the same period last year, the proportion of effective foreign invention patents decreased by 1.4%, while the proportions for utility model and design patents remained unchanged. Additionally, the proportion of effective patents held by enterprises increased by 1.5% for invention patents, 1.3% for utility model patents, and 4.1% for design patents.
In August 2025, 6,107 PCT patent applications were accepted. This represents a decrease of 1,014 applications compared to the acceptance volume in the same period last year. However, the number of accepted foreign-origin PCT patent applications increased by 72. For the cumulative period from January to August, 48,164 PCT patent applications were accepted, reflecting an increase of 2,009 applications compared to the cumulative acceptance volume during the same period in the prior year. In contrast, the cumulative number of accepted foreign-origin PCT patent applications decreased by 43.
In the area of trademarks, the proportion of effective foreign-owned registered trademarks experienced a slight decline, while the examination efficiency for review cases increased significantly. As of August this year, the cumulative number of effective registered trademarks was 51,694,257. Compared with the same period last year, the proportion of cumulative effective foreign-owned registered trademarks decreased by 0.1%. From January to August this year, the cumulative number of effective registered trademarks was 2,850,724, of which 83,680 were foreign-owned. This represents a decrease of 0.2% in the proportion compared to the same period last year. Opposition-related operations remained largely unchanged compared to the same period last year. The cumulative number of opposition applications received during the year was 76,845, and the number of opposition decisions rendered was 70,428. For review cases, the cumulative numbers of applications and decisions rendered this year were 254,891 and 251,768, respectively. Although the number of applications decreased by 29,862 compared to the same period last year, the number of decisions rendered increased by 14,002. This decrease and increase together indicate a notable improvement in the examination efficiency for review cases. Furthermore, compared to the previous month, the number of decisions rendered in review cases decreased sharply, dropping from 40,463 in July to 10,372 in August. Within this total, the number of decisions rendered in rejection review cases and invalidation declaration review cases decreased by 21,707 and 6,893, respectively.
In respect of GIs, the numbers of preliminary approvals and final approvals for GI products, as well as the registrations as collective trademarks and certification trademarks, remained unchanged this month. From January to August 2025, 30 GI products received preliminary approval, and 38 GIs were registered as collective trademarks or certification trademarks. These figures show no change compared to the previous month. However, they reflect a decrease of two and seventy, respectively, compared to the same period last year. The number of approved GI products reached 1,574, unchanged from the previous month but representing a significant increase compared to the 15 approvals recorded in the same period last year. The number of operating entities authorized to use the special symbol for GIs reached 13,995, an increase of 396 compared to the previous month and a rise of 7,705 compared to the same period last year.
In respect of LDIC, as of the end of August this year, the CNIPA had cumulatively received 7,318 applications and issued 6,405 certificates. These figures represent decreases of 56 and 546, respectively, compared to the same period last year. It is anticipated that the annual application volume and the number of certificates issued for the full year will each be approximately ten thousand, which is unlikely to surpass the peak of twenty thousand recorded in 2021.
In conclusion, there has been a marked overall decrease in patent grants in China this year, with the share of foreign-invented patents gradually decreasing. The improved efficiency in examining trademark review cases has contributed to a reduction in the trademark examination cycle. Application activity for both GIs and LDIC has moderated.