A report on the patent index regarding the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area was released at a forum held on Saturday in south China's Guangdong Province.

The report on the patent index was released by the National Science Library of the Chinese Academy of Sciences at a session of the Greater Bay Area Science Forum. It was based on patent data gathered and revealed the characteristics and development trends of the Greater Bay Area's scientific and technological innovation.

The Greater Bay Area has seen a surge in patent applications, with dominance in overseas invention patents licensed nationwide. Between 2017 and 2022, overseas invention patents in Greater Bay Area accounted for more than a quarter of the country's total overseas invention patents licensed, said the report.

The report added that enterprises play a pivotal role in driving technological innovation in the Greater Bay Area. From 2017 to 2022, the number of invention patent applications by enterprises in the Greater Bay Area accounted for 73.44 percent of the area's total patent applications.

Data showed that the Greater Bay Area boasts technological advantages in industries such as next-generation information technology, new energy vehicles, and new materials.

Initiated by the Alliance of International Science Organizations and hosted by the Guangdong provincial government, the Greater Bay Area Science Forum is taking place from May 20 to 23 in Guangdong's cities, including Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Foshan.

Under the theme of "Bring Together Wisdom, Bring Together the World," the event hopes to provide a platform for members of the international scientific community to explore key areas of study.

The Greater Bay Area is an economic powerhouse of China, accounting for around 10 percent of the total GDP. Prioritizing innovation and high-tech industries is one of its development plans. With over 57,000 national high-tech enterprises located here, it is an ideal location to host such a forum.

(With input from Xinhua.)