Article 29 of the Patent Law of People's Republic of China (PRC) Where an applicant applies for a patent for invention or utility model for the first time in a foreign country within 12 months, or applies for a patent for design for the first time in a foreign country within 6 months, and applies for a patent on the same subject in China, he may enjoy the priority according to the agreement signed by the foreign country with China or the international treaty to which * * * is a party, or according to the principle of mutual recognition of priority. Applicants who file a patent application for invention or utility model for the first time in China within 12 months, or apply for a patent for design for the first time in China within 6 months may enjoy priority.