ZTE Corp, the second-largest telecom equipment provider in China, filed 50% more patent applications in 2009 than in 2008, while the global market saw a drop in the number of patents filed, according a report recently released by The World Intellectual Property Organization.

The number of ZTE's international open patent applications was 502 in 2009, 173 more than in 2008.

ZTE applied for 1,164 international patents in 2009, and many are still being processed by WIPO.

China ranked 5th in 2009, rising from 4th in 2008 due to a 30% increase in the number of patents filed. China is expected to overtake the U.S. as the leading global scientific intellectual property holder by 2020.

 source:alibaba