Global IP filings grow with China as major drive

China for the first time topped rankings for source (filings by China) and destination (filed in China) for four types of intellectual property (IP) filings IP in 2012, according to a report released by World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Monday.

The report said rapid growth was recorded in the four types of IP claims, namely patents, utility models, trademarks and industrial designs. Global patent filings grew by 9.2 percent (2.35 million applications filed) in 2012, the report added.

Out of the top five IP offices worldwide, the State Intellectual Property Office of the People's Republic of China was alone in recording double-digit growth for each of the four types of IP. The continued growth in filings in China is the main driver of global IP growth, the report added.

For the first time, the residents of China accounted for the largest number of patents filed throughout the world with 560,681 applications filed.

Official data showed middle-income countries such as Brazil, India and South Africa reported a growth in filings of 5.1 percent, 3.9 percent and 2.7 percent.