China vs United States: Patents in OECD selected technologies — Patent applications

China
13,210 Patents
in 2023
United States
32,970 Patents
in 2023
China rank
4th
United States rank
1st

Patents in OECD selected technologies — Patent applications over time

  • China
  • United States
010.0k20.0k30.0k40.0k197820002023

How they compare

United States currently reports 32,970 Patents against 13,210 Patents in China, a difference of 19,760 Patents.

That makes United States's figure about 2.5 times China's.

Across all 46 years both countries report, United States has been ahead every year.

China ranks 4th and United States ranks 1st of 88 countries.

United States has averaged higher in every one of the 6 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade China United States Difference Ahead
1970s 0 Patents 2,292 Patents 2,292 Patents United States
1980s 11.35 Patents 10,411 Patents 10,399 Patents United States
1990s 30.78 Patents 21,673 Patents 21,642 Patents United States
2000s 918.78 Patents 34,795 Patents 33,876 Patents United States
2010s 7,776 Patents 39,615 Patents 31,839 Patents United States
2020s 16,864 Patents 40,486 Patents 23,622 Patents United States

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher patents in oecd selected technologies — patent applications, China or United States?
United States, at 32,970 Patents against 13,210 Patents in China as of 2023.
What is the difference in patents in oecd selected technologies — patent applications between China and United States?
19,760 Patents, with United States ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for China and United States?
46 years are reported by both, from 1978 to 2023.
How do China and United States rank globally for patents in oecd selected technologies — patent applications?
China ranks 4th and United States ranks 1st of 88 countries.
Where does this data come from?
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, published as Patents in OECD selected technologies — Patent applications. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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China vs United States: Patents in OECD selected technologies — Patent applications. Statizoid, drawing on Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Retrieved 23 August 2026, from https://science-tech.statizoid.com/compare/patents-in-oecd-selected-technologies-patent-applications/china/united-states-2/

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About this data

Indicator
Patents in OECD selected technologies — Patent applications
Unit
Patents
Source
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
Licence
OECD Terms and Conditions (attribution required)
Coverage
104 places, 4,784 data points, 1978–2023
Last refreshed

Patent counts by technology (including total patents, estimated total patents for latest years): EPO, USPTO, PCT and Patent Families indicators are presented for selected technology domains such as ICT, Artificial Intelligence, nanotechnology, biotechnology as well as environment-related and health-related technologies.