China leads in world patents for fifth year

China has led the world’s patent application list for the fifth year in a row, showcasing its booming culture of innovation, an official said at a meeting on Sunday.

More than 60 percent of the applications in China were filed by enterprises engaged in high-speed train, nuclear power, 4G mobile telecommunications technology and ultra-high-voltage electricity transmission, according to Wang Zhongyu, head of the China Enterprise Confederation.

However, Wang mentioned some weaknesses, such as the lack of top-level talents and key technological breakthroughs.

He called on enterprises to implement an innovation-driven development strategy to promote industrial transformation and upgrading.