PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to help people understand innovation and related policies in China over the past 25 years by using and analyzing patent data retrieved from State Intellectual Property Office (SIPO) of the People's Republic of China, at: http://www.sipo.gov. cn/sipo2008/tjxx/. Innovation in China attracts attention all over the world. The patent is considered as the fountain of innovation and is widely applied to measure innovation of a country or a region.Design/methodology/approachThis study analyzed the trends of both patent filings and patent grants/registrations during 1985‐2009 and explored the ratio change between them by using data statistical method. Based on the statistically analysis, patent law and related policies were further analyzed. The paper also gives some suggestions on Chinese innovation policy.FindingsThe paper drew the following conclusions: both total patent filings and total patent grants/registration in SIPO appear to have an increase of exponential trends, especially during the years of 2005‐2009; patent filings and patent grants/registration in SIPO also appear to have an increase of exponential trends, but the gap between patent filings and patent grants/registration seems to be widening in recent years; the two revisions of Chinese patent law in the years 1992 and 2000 have had some positive impacts on patent filings and patent grants/registration to some degree; the ratios of patent filings to total patent filings and patent grants/registration to total patent grants/registration in SIPO during the years of 1985‐2009 are comparatively lower by 31.60 percent and 16.37 percent; and Japan and USA are the two leading countries in terms of non‐resident patent grants/registration in SIPO.Research limitations/implicationsThis study is still macroscopic, more detailed analysis should be done in future studies.Practical implicationsThis study takes an overall view of innovation in China in the past 25 years by analyzing patent data and related law and policies. It proposes related institutions perfection, which will enhance innovation development in China.Originality/valueResearch on innovation in China via patentometrics has not been found thus far using all patent data during the period of 1985‐2009 in SIPO.