China Pulls Ahead In PCTs

The Patent Cooperation Treaty ("PCT") allows patent applicants a streamlined process through which they may turn a single initial national patent application into national patents in 153 contracting states around world.  Ever since the PCT began facilitating patent applications in 1970, the United States has been the largest source of PCT filings...until now.  According to the World Intellectual Property Organization ("WIPO"), which administers the PCT,  2019, China pulled ahead of the United States, 58,990 to 57,840.  Japan, Germany, South Korea, France, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Sweden, and the Netherlands fill out the top ten national sources of PCT applications.  Unsurprisingly, a prominent Chinese company, Huawei Technologies, filed more PCTs in 2019 than any other company.