BEIJING -- China had the largest number of applications for new agricultural plant varieties rights in the world for the second consecutive year in 2018, authorities said Tuesday.

The number of applications exceeded 4,800 last year, almost equal to the total in the previous 10 years, according to a symposium jointly held by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, National Forestry and Grassland Administration and National Intellectual Property Administration.

Since joining the International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV) 20 years ago, China has approved nearly 12,000 applications.

The country's protection efforts has accelerated the upgrading of agricultural plant varieties and expanded the production of new breeds, Zhang Taolin, vice minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, said at the symposium.

Zhang also called for dedication to establishing a mechanism with Chinese characteristics for protecting new plant varieties and cracking down on rights infringements.