The procedures for applying for patents in China are the same, with no regional differences.
According to the Patent Law, the approval process for invention patent applications includes five stages: acceptance, preliminary examination, publication, substantive examination and authorization. Utility model or design patent applications do not undergo early publication and substantive examination during the approval process, but only three stages: acceptance, preliminary examination and authorization. ?
The application and review flow chart for invention, utility model and design patents is as follows:
(Source of the above information: State Intellectual Property Office)