The so-called international application refers to the pct application filed with the International Bureau (there are more than one international bureau, such as the American Bureau, the European Bureau, the Japanese Bureau and the Chinese Patent Office) according to the pct agreement. When submitting an application, you can designate the application to enter certain countries and conduct substantive examination in these countries. After preliminary examination by the International Bureau, the applicant may choose to enter the designated country.
Therefore, a pct application filed in a foreign international bureau, after preliminary examination by the International Bureau, enters China and continues to undergo substantive examination in the Chinese Patent Office according to the China Patent Law, which is called entering the national phase in China.
I don't know if you understand.