BEIJING, Jan. 4 -- China has gained momentum in the past year, in terms of the quality and efficiency of intellectual property (IP) examination, according to the country's industry watchdog report on Thursday.

A variety of examination modes were utilized to meet diversified needs, constantly enhancing the sense of gain of innovation entities, according to Shen Changyu, head of the National Intellectual Property Administration.

The average examination period for invention patents was reduced to 16 months, while the average trademark registration examination period remained at four months.

The patent intelligent examination and retrieval system was put into operation, and the trademark examination management system was continuously optimized and upgraded.

In 2023, the invention patent examination accuracy rate reached 94.2 percent, and the patent examination satisfaction index reached 86.3, remaining in the satisfaction zone for 14 consecutive years.

In addition, a total of 921,000 invention patents, 2.09 million utility models, 638,000 appearance designs, 4.38 million registered trademarks, and 11,300 registered layout designs of integrated circuits were authorized in 2023.