China has become a member state of the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) since January 1, 1994, and the SIPO has become a PCT receiving office and been appointed as an International Searching Authority and an International Preliminary Examination Authority since the same time. Chinese nationals and residents can file an international application through the SIPO. A Chinese applicant shall first file a national application with the SIPO before filing an international application concerning the same subject matter, or designate China in the international application.

 

The SIPO, as a PCT Receiving Office, has received 13,399 international applications ever since China's accession to the PCT.

2007-07-19