Zhoushan in East China's Zhejiang province recorded the highest density of high-value invention patents per capita in the province in 2024, with 47.7 patents per 10,000 people, the Zhoushan municipal market supervision administration announced on April 27.

The achievement followed streamlined approval procedures through priority review channels, which significantly reduced processing times, local authorities noted.

By the end of 2024, the city held 5,598 valid invention patents, marking a 7.65 percent year-on-year increase. High-value patents saw an even sharper rise, surging 53.16 percent to 2,348 — equating to 20 per 10,000 people — with growth rates ranking first in Zhejiang. Enterprises drove the innovation wave, accounting for 55.34 percent of newly authorized patents, a 40 percentage point jump since 2021.

Notably, about 300 local companies benefited from a pilot intellectual property reform targeting marine big data, resulting in 213 registered data patents.

The city also reported growth in trademarks, with filings increased 5.78 percent to 2,725 in 2024, while registrations rose 9.27 percent to 1,591.