Legal basis: People's Republic of China (PRC) Patent Law.
Article 3 The patent administrative department of the State Council is responsible for the management of patent work throughout the country; Accept and examine patent applications in a unified manner and grant patent rights according to law.
The departments for patent administration under the people's governments of provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government shall be responsible for patent administration within their respective administrative areas.
Article 34 After receiving an application for a patent for invention, the administrative department for patent in the State Council, after preliminary examination, finds that it conforms to the provisions of this Law, and shall publish it after 18 months from the date of filing. The patent administration department of the State Council may publish its application at an early date upon the request of the applicant.
Article 35 Within 3 years from the date of filing, the administrative department for patent in the State Council may, upon the request of the applicant at any time, make a substantive examination of the application; If the applicant fails to request substantive examination within the time limit without justifiable reasons, the application shall be deemed to have been withdrawn.
The patent administrative department of the State Council may, when it deems it necessary, examine the application for a patent for invention on its own.