According to announcement on September 2, 2021 from the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA), the total number of online applications for the 2021 Chinese patent bar was 50,425, a year-on-year increase of 4.63%; the number of applicants who passed the qualification review and completed payment was 47,573, a year-on-year increase of 4.99%.  This compares with 1,616 applicants in 2020 for the U.S. patent bar exam.

Figure 4 from CNIPA’s report on the patent industry in 2020 shows the registration status for the patent bar exam (Patent Attorney Qualification Examination) from 2011 to 2020. The number of applicants for the Patent Attorney Qualification Examination has been increasing annually in contrast to the 51% decline in the U.S. from a peak in 2012.  

No word yet if any foreigners have registered for the exam.

The full text of the announcement is available here.