BEIJING, May 22 -- The number of invention patents granted in China in the first four months of this year witnessed a year-on-year increase of 43.42 percent, the country's top intellectual property regulator said this week.

The latest patent data report by the China National Intellectual Property Administration revealed that over 362,000 invention patents were granted in China between January and April this year. Enterprise patents constituted the majority and exhibited the highest year-on-year growth rate when compared to those obtained by universities, research institutions, and individuals.

China owned about 4.02 million domestic valid invention patents by the end of 2023, making it the first country in the world to hold over 4 million valid domestic invention patents.

High-value invention patents accounted for over 40 percent of the total, the administration said.