BEIJING - China's trademark applications exceeded 5.7 million last year, up 55.7 percent year on year, both setting record highs.

Most of the applications were made online as China has streamlined the trademark application process, according to the Administration for Industry and Commerce.

At the end of 2017, China had 14.92 million qualified registered trademarks, the most of any country worldwide.

Thirty-seven Chinese brands made it into the top 500 global brands last year, an increase of 150 percent compared with 2013, according to the World Brand Lab.

China is also the third largest applicant for trademark registration in the international trademark alliance Madrid System with 4,810 applications in 2017, up 59.6 percent year on year, which shows the fast pace of Chinese firms expanding overseas.