China's patent authorizations in the core industries of the digital economy reached 500,000 in 2024, a year-on-year growth of 23.1 percent, topping the world, said an official from the China National Intellectual Property Administration at the 14th China Intellectual Property Annual Conference (CIPAC) on Thursday.
The 14th CIPAC is held from Thursday to Friday in Beijing, focusing on digital IP innovations.
Themed "IP in the Digital Age," the two-day conference will have 30-plus events for global innovators, scholars and IP service providers.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the conference, Shen Changyu, head of the China National Intellectual Property Administration, said China has now become the world's largest holder of artificial intelligence patents, owning about 60 percent of global AI patents.
Meanwhile, the number of overseas patent authorizations in China's core industries of the digital economy has increased from 21,000 in 2016 to 52,000 in 2024. The number of foreign enterprises applying for invention patents in core industries of the digital economy in China has also steadily increased, said Shen.
"By the end of 2024, 95 countries and regions held a total of 407,000 valid invention patents in core industries of the digital economy in China, accounting for 43.7 percent of the total valid invention patents held by foreign entities in China. This fully demonstrates the strong confidence of foreign enterprises in the future development of China's digital economy," said Shen.
Inaugurated in 2010, the annual CIPAC is organized by the Intellectual Property Publishing House Co., Ltd., under the China National Intellectual Property Administration, the country's top IP regulator.
China's digital tech patent authorizations top world in 2024
Lebanon's Public Health Ministry said on Sunday that the death toll from Israeli attacks in the country since March 2 has risen to 1,029, with 2,786 others wounded.
The attacks on Sunday left five people dead and 46 others injured in Lebanon. Meanwhile, the attacks have continued to escalate across the country.
Israeli warplanes struck the Qasmiyeh Bridge on the Litani River in southern Lebanon on Sunday, Lebanon's National News Agency reported, as Israel launched a new wave of airstrikes across the region.
The Israeli military confirmed the strikes, saying they targeted Hezbollah positions. Earlier, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz ordered the military to "immediately" destroy all bridges over the Litani River used by the group.
Hezbollah issued a series of statements on Sunday night, saying that it had launched rocket and drone attacks on multiple Israeli military targets and shot down an Israeli drone in southern Lebanon.
In addition, the Israeli army claimed to have killed a Hezbollah commander recently.
Eyal Zamir, the Israeli military chief of staff, said on Saturday that Israel's campaign against Hezbollah had "only just begun."
Also on Sunday, the Israeli military said Zamir had approved plans "to advance the targeted ground operations and strikes" against Hezbollah, and that this would be a "prolonged operation".
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun on Sunday condemned Israel's targeting and destruction of infrastructure and vital facilities in southern Lebanon, particularly the Qasmiyeh Bridge over the Litani River and other bridges.
Aoun said in a statement that the attacks constitute a dangerous escalation and a blatant violation of Lebanon's sovereignty, warning that they could be a "prelude to a ground invasion" that Lebanon has repeatedly cautioned against through diplomatic channels.
He added that the attacks reflect a systematic destruction of infrastructure, and also civilian facilities and residential areas in Lebanese villages, describing them as a form of collective punishment against civilians and a violation of international humanitarian law.
Aoun called on the international community, particularly the United Nations and the Security Council, to assume their responsibilities and take immediate measures to deter Israel from continuing its attacks, warning that silence or inaction would encourage further violations and undermine the credibility of the international community.
Lebanon says death toll from Israeli attacks hits 1,029 since March 2
