China's higher education institutions have applied for a soaring number of patents since 2000. But the patents, accounting for nearly 12 percent of the nation's total, have not brought the expected economic benefits.

The Guangzhou Daily says many of these patents are "junk patents", which can't contribute to economic growth, and calls on universities in China to stop making "junk patents".

The term "junk patent" has long been popular in technology circles in China. It refers to the fact that many researchers apply for patents only to showcase the fruits of their research, regardless of whether or not they can be useful in practice.

The paper says the amount of research papers in China is surging, but the quality remains low. It's widely alleged that many of China's campus research magazines are breeding grounds for academic junk.

The paper adds that due to a lack of core technology, many industries in China face the challenge of technological upgrades. Thus, it's critical to clean up the polluted academic circles, and produce quality patents.