China's stock pile of intellectual properties (IP) grew in the first half of the year despite the resurgences of COVID-19 infections across the country, according to China National Intellectual Property Administration.

In the six months from January to June this year, the number of valid invention patents increased 17.5 percent year on year to 39.06 million. The number of valid registered trademarks reached 40.54 million, a 20.9 percent increase compared to last year.

The IP regulator also certificated 5,233 pieces of integrated circuit layout designs in the first half as the world's biggest consumer of semiconductors grows its capability of making in-house chips. China has certificated a total of 57,000 such designs.

Statistics show that IP applications rebounded following periodical COVID-19 flare-ups in the first months.

The country's 155,000 high technology companies and innovation-driven "little giant" startups held 1.33 million valid invention patents, accounting for 63.3 percent of the patents approved, according to the administration.

Computer technology, measurements and digital communication are among the biggest sources of China's patent pool, taking up almost 24 percent of the innovation patents.

The fastest-growing sectors for IP application include IT management, computer technology and medical technology, as the country speeds up in digital transformation.