What inventions cannot be patented in China?

According to Articles 5 and 25 of the Chinese Patent Law, the following items are not patentable in China:

• any invention-creation that is contrary to the law or social morality or that is detrimental to public interest
• invention-creations relying on genetic resources of which the acquisition or use is not consistent with the provisions of the laws and regulations
• scientific discoveries
• rules and methods for mental activities
• methods for the diagnosis or treatment of diseases
• animal and plant varieties
• substances obtained by means of nuclear transformation
• two-dimensional designs of images or colours or combinations of the two that mainly serve as indicators

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