According to a WIPO release, in 2012 organizations in China applied for 652.800 (+24 %), in the USA for 542.800 (+7.8 %) and in Japan vor 342.800 (+0.1 %). Global patent applications in 2012 were 2.350.000, an increase in 9.2 %. Among European patent applications, those from Germany and the UK rose, from France and Italy dropped.
Kyodo News, December 10, 2013
Chinese patent applications rise to some 650.000 in 2012, number 1 in the world