The report shows that courts nationwide are facing pressure handling a rising number of cases.

China’s top court last year heard 34,794 cases and concluded 31,883, up by 22.1 and 23.5 percent year-on-year, respectively.

Local courts at all levels handled 28 million lawsuits and concluded 25 million, up 8.8 and 10.6 percent, respectively.

The number of concluded intellectual property cases reached 288,000, an increase of 42 percent year-on-year, according to the work report.

The increase is due to various measures the top court has taken to intensify intellectual property protection and rising public awareness, authorities have said.

To better protect intellectual property rights and improve innovation-driven development, a national-level court, a new division under the top court, was opened in Beijing in January to specialize in hearing civil administrative patent appeals.

Nineteen intellectual property tribunals were additionally established at grassroots-level courts across the country to optimize the technology and innovation legal environment, according to the report.