BEIJING, June 7 -- China's intellectual property (IP) market slowed last year under economic pressure, an official report showed on Tuesday.

The index evaluating trademark transfers, patent pledge financing and technology market transactions fell markedly in 2015 compared with the previous year due to the economic slowdown, according to the report from a research center with the State Intellectual Property Office.

China's overall IP development has been accelerating in the past five years, with the general index rising from 100 points in 2010 to 187.35 points in 2015.

According to the report, China became more capable of creating and protecting IP in 2015, but it still lags far behind developed countries such as the United States and Japan in this regard.

Regional IP development differences narrowed last year, though locations on the wealthy south and east coast dominated. Guangdong Province took the lead nationwide, followed by Beijing and Shanghai.