China is taking the lead in semiconductor patents, according to data released by the European intellectual property law firm Mathys & Squire.

Out of the 69,190 semiconductor patent applications submitted globally over the 12 months to Sept 30, 2022, some 55 percent came from Chinese business entities.

The report is said to demonstrate the increasing importance of semiconductors technology in various regions around the world, with a 59 percent increase in patent applications over the past five years.

China's pursuit of innovation in the past half-decade is widely viewed as having significantly reduced its reliance on Western technology.