China to further shorten patent examination periods

BEIJING, June 23 (Xinhua) -- China will further improve its patent examination efficiency to support a better innovation and business environment, the country's top intellectual property regulator said Thursday at a press conference.

By the end of 2021, the processing time for the examination of high-value patents had been cut to 13.3 months, "achieving the target ahead of schedule," said Wei Baozhi, a senior official with the National Intellectual Property Administration.

China's efficiency in processing patent applications has been at the forefront of the world. The country has planned to cut the average examination period for invention patents by a third within five years from 2018, with high-value ones by more than half.

Wei said the reduction target of the examination period for invention patents would be achieved by the end of this year.