China vs USA patents (granted) and relative sectoral strengths

This dataset contains patent-based evidence used to analyze the comparative technological advantages of China and the United States. It consists of 279,231 USPTO granted patents distributed across 13 major technological sectors and 137 sub-sectors, linked to 633 firms in 347 cities across 26 countries.

The dataset supports the study Technology-First vs Institution-First Capitalism: Patents, Power, and the US–China Rivalry in Global Innovation, which examines sectoral patterns of innovation through the lens of National Innovation Systems (NIS) and Sectoral Innovation Systems (SIS).

Patents are classified into high-technology (e.g., semiconductors, biopharma, software/AI, defense, solar), medium-technology (e.g., automobiles, aviation, chemicals), and low-technology/resource-based sectors (e.g., transport, services, petroleum/coal, mining).

Geographic coverage: 26 countries (focus on China and the USA)
Sectoral coverage: 13 sectors (high, medium, and low technology)
Unit of analysis: Granted patent (USPTO B1/B2)
Time coverage: Multiple decades of USPTO patent grants

Purpose:
To provide large-scale empirical evidence on sectoral specialization and technological rivalry between China and the USA, reframing debates on the “middle-technology trap” and the role of institutional vs technology-first models of development.

Keywords: US–China technological rivalry; comparative advantage; patents; National Innovation Systems; Sectoral Innovation Systems; global governance of technology