China dominates global patent race with record filings Yeah, this is not "global patent race". You don't understand what's happening here.
Here, AI explains it:
China's massive patent numbers do not primarily come from world-first, groundbreaking inventions that no one else has. Instead, they are driven by:
- Patenting existing global technology inside China (legal and common).
- Filing for minor, incremental improvements (utility models, design tweaks).
- Government incentives that reward quantity over quality.
Essentially, they're "catching up" by locally patenting everything in site, often with slight modifications to create an air of uniquity, which can legitimately be patented in China. Meanwhile, in the US (e.g.), no patent would be made for such an item.
It isn't a lie, but suggestion that small finds are more significant than they are. The significance is diminished by the fact key components of what is patented may not be patentable in other countries.
Again, AI provides an example:
Example: Apple has a U.S. patent for "slide to unlock." A Chinese firm can file a nearly identical patent in China only — and CNIPA will grant it if no one filed it in China first.
So: Millions of Chinese patents are re-filings of foreign tech — but only for the Chinese market.
It may not be quite a scam, but it isn't quite the success story they're pitching.
One other point -- China does understand this criticism, and is considering changes to play by more standardized rules which are likely to roll out in coming years. Obviously, these kinds of changes cannot readily be shifted wildly overnight without creating significant consequences for Chinese inventors. |
