China’s international patent filings increased 56.2% in 2010, leading the growth in filings under the World Intellectual Property Organization’s (WIPO) Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT), state media reported. Overall filings grew 4.8% globally. Chinese companies and individuals filed 12,337 patents under the PCT system in 2010, up from 7,900 the previous year, overtaking South Korea as the fourth-ranked PCT filing country of origin worldwide. Two Chinese telecommunications equipment companies, Huawei and ZTE (0763.HK, 000063.SZ), led the filings and were among the top 10 applicants worldwide. ZTE moved up to second place in the rankings, up from 20th place in 2009, dislodging Huawei, which moved down from second place into fourth. However, no Chinese universities entered the top-filing universities rankings. Applications from the US, the world’s largest PCT applicant, declined 1.7%, down for the third consecutive year.