An exhibitor presents a computer controlled seed belt braiding machine at an agricultural expo in Hohhot, North China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region on Tuesday. The three-day event, which ends on Thursday, has attracted more than 450 companies from across the country to showcase their latest technologies and patented products, in a fresh push for rural and pastoral revitalization. Photo: cnsphoto

Statistics from Europe Patent Office (EPO) showed that China had applied 13,432 patents in 2020 with a year-on-year increase of 9.9 percent, a new record, as reported by Xinhua on Tuesday. 

China's most applied patents are in digital communication sector, computer technology sector and electrical machinery, apparatus, energy, a three-in-one sector. 

What's more, Huawei applied the second most patents in EPO with 3,113 next to Samsung. China's technology companies including OPPO, Xiaomi, BOE and ZTE were also ranked on the top 50  list.

Affected by global pandemic, applied patent numbers in sectors of pharmaceuticals and biotechnology had significantly increased by 10.2 percent and 6.3 percent respectively. The transport sector declined by 5.5 percent.