Chinese technology companies Huawei and ZTE became the world's top two filers of international patent applications in 2017, according to the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).

With double-digit annual growth of 13.4 percent, China replaced Japan as the second largest international patent application source filed via the WIPO last year, closing in on the United States, the longtime leader.

China, which has now posted growth higher than 10 percent every year since 2003, is expected to surpass the US within three years.

Let's take a look at the world's top five companies that filed the most international patent applications in 2017.

No 5 Qualcomm