Chinahasbecomethefifth－largestpatentapplicationcountryintheworld

ChinahasovertakenGermanyintheglobalrankingofpatentapplicationstobecomethefifth－largestsourceoffilings，underscoringanincreasingprominenceofAsianindustrialpowersinintellectualproperty。

Initsfirstcomprehensivereportonpatentactivity，publishedtoday，theWorldIntellectualPropertyOrganisationfoundChinahadasevenfoldincreaseinpatentfilingsin10years。

Wipo，aUNagency，rankedJapantopofthepatentleague，followedbytheUS，theEuropeanPatentOfficeandSouthKorea。WithChinathesepatentofficesaccountedforthree－quartersofallpatentsfiledin2004，thelatestyearforwhichcomprehensivefiguresareavailable。Germany，atraditionalsourceofpatentapplications，rankedsixth。

Thereportshowspatentfilingshaveincreasedinlinewitheconomicgrowthoverthepast20years，almostdoublingto1。6mgloballyin2004。Morethan5。4mpatentswereinforcethatyear。

Filingsinnorth－eastAsiainparticularhaveboomedasfirstSouthKoreaandthenChinahavebecomemajorindustrialeconomies。AlthoughTaiwandoesnotfeatureinthereportbecauseitisnoteligibletojoinWipo，officialssaiditwouldrankabouttenth。

InChinahalfthepatentfilingsin2004werebyforeigncompanies。MostinJapanandSouthKoreaarestillbylocalinventors。

TheWiporeportcomesasChinapreparestofacequestioningintheWorldTradeOrganisationthismonthonitscompliancewithintellectualpropertyrules，includingtheinternetsaleofcounterfeitgoods。

TheUSandEuropeanUnionhavecomplainedthatBeijingisnotdoingenoughtocrackdownonintellectualpropertytheft。

TheUSChamberofCommerceestimatedthatChinaaccountsfor60－65percentofthebillionsofdollarsUScompanieslosefromintellectualpropertytheft。