Guidance

China Intellectual Property newsletter (April 2026）

Updated 29 April 2026

This is an ad-hoc newsletter to inform UK stakeholders of recent developments in the Chinese IP environment. The content is collected from publicly available sources, where information is often available in Chinese only. Please feel free to forward this newsletter, and contact Leo.Zhuang@fcdo.gov.uk to be added to/removed from the distribution list.

Policy and government

CNIPA work plan for administrative protection of IP rights  

On 10 April, CNIPA published the Work Plan for Administrative IP Protection in 2026. The plan intensifies governance of bad‑faith conduct (by applicants or agencies) at the application stage, and increases enforcement against patent filings and agency practices which violate the principle of good faith. Trade mark regulation will be tightened to address deceptive use, including misleading descriptions and the use of unregistered trade marks with adverse social impacts. The plan also supports local pilot programs for administrative adjudication of standard essential patent (SEP) disputes, and promotes cross‑regional joint adjudication of patent infringement disputes in the photovoltaic industry. Overseas IP risk early‑warning mechanisms will be strengthened, with closer monitoring of SEP disputes, US Section 337 investigations, cross‑border e‑commerce litigation, and malicious trade mark squatting. 

Further information is available in the administrative enforcement work plan (in Chinese).

Risk alert on the use of AI Agent tools in patent applications 

On 1 April, CNIPA issued a risk alert on the use of AI agent tools such as OpenClaw (formerly Clawdbot and Moltbot). The alert noted that these tools often have weak default security settings, creating significant security risks. CNIPA warned that using such tools to draft patent applications may lead to the leakage of core materials, including technical disclosure documents, and may produce “AI hallucinations,” resulting in logical inconsistencies, inaccurate or unclear technical descriptions, and other substantive defects in application documents. CNIPA advised applicants to strengthen risk awareness, carefully select compliant patent agency services, and proactively confirm whether agencies use AI agent tools in document drafting. Where agencies have used such tools without authorisation, causing information leakage or bad‑faith filings, applicants may lodge complaints, report violations, and seek compensation for losses in accordance with the law.

Read the CNIPA guidance (in Chinese).

Software copyright pledge registration goes digital 

On 10 April, the Copyright Protection Centre of China (CPCC) announced that, from 15 April 2026, all software copyright pledge registrations must be submitted online through the designated registration system. CPCC will no longer accept paper applications submitted on‑site or by post. During the trial period, all applications will be processed electronically, and electronic pledge registration certificates will be issued in place of paper certificates. Other pledge‑related services, including cancellation and amendment registrations, will be gradually moved online. The measures aim to improve efficiency and facilitate applications for both pledgors and pledgees. 

Read the announcement from CPCC (in Chinese). 

SAMR issues notice to further implement the amended Anti‑Unfair Competition Law  

On 26 March, the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) issued a notice setting out enforcement priorities and supporting measures to ensure effective implementation of the amended Anti‑Unfair Competition Law. Regulators will focus in particular on data‑driven and algorithm‑based unfair competition and target passing‑off and confusion, false or misleading promotions, trade secret infringement, and improper prize promotions. Authorities are instructed to apply the law accurately, avoiding both over‑enforcement and lax enforcement. Trade secret protection is highlighted as a priority, with measures to improve rules, support compliance and risk prevention, develop standards, and promote management system certification. The notice also proposes exploring the extraterritorial application of the law to overseas conduct that harms the domestic market, alongside strengthened foreign‑related enforcement capacity and international cooperation. 

Read the notice from SAMR (in Chinese).

Typical cases of China customs IP protection in 2025 

On 24 April, the General Administration of Customs of China (GACC) released 10 typical customs IP protection cases, highlighting the evolution of customs enforcement across different trade channels, product types, and IP rights. The cases illustrate strengthened protection for domestic innovation, foreign brands, consumer safety, emerging industries, and new trade formats such as cross‑border e‑commerce and small‑value border trade. Notable cases include a LIUGONG trade mark infringement identified by Nanjing Customs through an intelligent risk identification model, marking the first nationwide use of a “expert judgment + machine intelligence” approach. Xiamen and Guangzhou Customs seized infringing goods involving MIU MIU, CELINE, SKF, and other international brands, including semi‑finished components, under the 2025 Special Campaign on Stabilising Foreign Investment IP Protection, underscoring equal protection for domestic and foreign rights holders. At Fuzhou and Qingdao Customs, seizures involving Balenciaga, Hermès, and Disney revealed sophisticated methods such as false declarations, forged documents, and simulated daigou (buying-on-behalf) logistics chains, demonstrating Customs’ capacity to address fragmented and concealed infringement in fast‑growing e‑commerce channels. 

Read more on the typical customs IP cases (in Chinese).

IP public services campaign for SMEs 

On 22 April, CNIPA and MIIT jointly launched the 2026 Special Action on Intellectual Property (IP) Public Services for Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs), aimed at strengthening nationwide IP support. Provincial‑level IP authorities are required to work closely with local Industry and Information Technology bureaux (IITs) to organise in‑depth demand surveys. Surveys will assess enterprise needs in R&D, IP protection, and IP utilisation, and develop tailored service programmes based on identified needs and local resources. Services will include patent analysis, industrial patent navigation, technology transfer, early‑warning against infringement, overseas IP protection, training, and consultancy. Cross‑departmental coordination mechanisms are required, with CNIPA and MIIT providing overarching guidance and oversight. Provincial authorities must submit an Action Plan by 30 April 2026 and a Summary Report by 15 November 2026.

Read more on the special action from CNIPA (in Chinese).

Joint action plan for regulating and rectifying IP agency industry 

On 23 April, CNIPA, the Ministry of Public Security (MPS), and SAMR jointly issued the Action Plan for the “Rectification and Standardisation Year” of the IP Agency Industry, launching a nationwide campaign throughout 2026. The plan targets patent fraud and related black‑market activities through enhanced reporting channels, online monitoring, and agency data analysis. Key enforcement targets include fabricated patent applications, renting or lending agency qualifications (including affiliation, substitute filings, and certificate‑hanging practices), unauthorised patent agency services, and bad‑faith trade mark conduct, such as malicious hoarding, forged GI materials, and abuse of non‑use cancellation procedures. Authorities will impose penalties on applicants, agents, agencies, and unqualified individuals involved in dishonest filings, improper solicitation, or document forgery. The plan also accelerates the rollout of a national smart supervision system for IP agencies, enabling dynamic monitoring, risk alerts, and comprehensive credit information collection and assessment.

Read more on the rectification campaign from CNIPA (in Chinese).

China Patent Survey Report 2025 

On 1 April, CNIPA published the China Patent Survey Report 2025, which reviews patent creation, utilisation, and protection among Chinese enterprises. Patent activity is now largely driven by in‑house R&D, accounting for 87% of valid invention patents, rising to 98% among large enterprises and around 95% in high‑tech sectors. Patent industrialisation has continued to improve, but commercialisation remains constrained mainly by talent shortages (43%), funding or equipment limitations (42%), and market maturity. Constraints vary by firm type: younger firms cite financing gaps, established firms market conditions, and large enterprises a lack of high‑quality patent monetisation services. Reported patent infringement remains low and stable, affecting 8% of enterprises in 2025, down from 28% in 2012. 

Read more on 2025 Patent Survey Report (in Chinese).

Judicial updates

SPC revises judicial Interpretation on punitive damages in IP cases 

On 20 April, the Supreme People’s Court (SPC) issued the revised Judicial Interpretation on Punitive Damages in IP Infringement Civil Cases, refining the criteria for determining “intent” and “serious circumstances.” Article 6 adds two new scenarios for establishing intent. Article 7 clarifies that “engaging in infringement as a business” refers to infringement constituting the defendant’s principal business or main source of profit. The interpretation also clarifies the calculation base for punitive damages. Under Article 9, where infringement profits are used as the base, operating profit may be referenced; where infringement is a business activity, sales profit may be used. In line with proportionality, the SPC further refines the multiplier rules, requiring courts to take into account any fully enforced administrative fines or criminal penalties for the same conduct. Courts may do so ex officio, without a party’s request. 

Read more on the SPC interpretation on punitive damages (in Chinese).

Typical IP cases of the People’s Courts in 2025 

On 20 April, the SPC released the 2025 Typical Intellectual Property Cases of the People’s Courts. The ten cases span civil, administrative, and criminal adjudication, covering trade marks, patents, trade secrets, copyright, unfair competition, data rights, platform liability, and civil–criminal coordination. In trade mark protection, the court upheld civil punitive damages for large‑scale resale of refurbished goods bearing well‑known marks despite prior criminal penalties, affirming that criminal sanctions do not preclude punitive civil liability. In a trade secret criminal case, fourteen defendants were convicted for systematically stealing semiconductor trade secrets through employee poaching, inducement, and evidence destruction. Damages were calculated by reference to reasonable licence fees, exceeding RMB 300 million, setting benchmarks for liability and loss assessment in large‑scale technology theft. 

Read more on the SPC typical cases (in Chinese).

SPC Implementation Plan for Judicial Protection of Intellectual Property (2026–2030) 

On 21 April, the SPC issued the Implementation Plan for IP Judicial Protection (2026–2030) to enhance IP adjudication during the 15th Five‑Year Plan period. The Plan prioritises technological innovation, copyright, branding, fair competition, data and AI, foreign‑related disputes, and stronger deterrence against infringement. Courts are instructed to strengthen protection for core and emerging technologies, including integrated circuits, industrial machine tools, and new energy, and to provide prompt infringement relief through greater use of injunctions, evidence preservation, and preliminary judgments. For AI‑related cases, courts will assess human originality, address training‑data and new infringement issues, and explore rules on ownership and responsibility. The Plan also enhances foreign‑related IP adjudication, including cross‑border litigation issues, extraterritorial application, and international cooperation. 

Read more on SPC judicial plan (2026-2030) (in Chinese).

Statistics

During the China National IP Publicity Week, Chinese IP-related authorities including administrative, judicial and customs organs published key IP figures in 2025, summarised as below: 

IP registration 

• in 2025, China granted 972,000 invention patents, registered 4.2 million trade marks, and recorded 10.7 million copyright registrations

Administrative enforcement 

• market regulation authorities handled 37,000 patent and trade mark violation cases
• IP authorities concluded 9,341 patent infringement administrative adjudication cases and guided 62,000 IP mediation cases
• copyright enforcement agencies investigated 2,713 physical‑market infringement and piracy cases

Read more from CNIPA press conference (in Chinese).

Judicial enforcement 

• People’s Courts accepted 552,600 IP cases and concluded 539,600, up 4% and 1% year on year

• Courts accepted 473,411 first‑instance civil IP cases and concluded 460,422, up 5% and 1% respectively

• first‑instance civil cases included 259,248 copyright cases (+5%), 121,133 trade mark cases (‑3%), 117,282 technology contract cases (+42%), 52,177 new plant variety cases (+22%), and 11,684 unfair competition cases (+11%).

Read more from SPC (in Chinese and English)   

Criminal enforcement  

• in 2025, public security organs opened 26,000 criminal investigations involving IP infringement and the manufacture or sale of counterfeit and substandard goods
• procuratorial organs accepted 11,341 IP crime cases involving 25,160 persons, prosecuted 9,135 cases involving 19,102 persons, and decided not to prosecute 5,105 persons
• procuratorial organs also received 741 IP‑related public interest litigation leads and filed 612 cases

Read more from Supreme People’s Procuratorate (SPP) (in Chinese).  

Customs enforcement 

• in 2025, Chinese customs carried out 53,400 IP enforcement actions, seizing 38,700 batches of suspected infringing goods totalling 86.42 million items
• rights recordation: 5,431 new IP rights holders registered (+20% YoY); 35,220 recordation applications accepted (exceeding 30,000 for the first time); 27,553 approvals granted, including 19,930 domestic rights holders (+24% YoY)
• ex officio enforcement dominated, accounting for over 97% of freight seizures by batch and 99% by quantity
• inter‑agency cooperation: 192 joint administrative actions, 265 judicial cooperation cases, and 425 criminal IP cases transferred to public security authorities

Read more from GACC (in Chinese).

IP commercialisation 

• patent‑related technology contracts reached RMB 1.2 trillion, up 19% year on year
• IP usage fee trade rose to RMB 425.4 billion, with exports up 26%
• as of end of 2024, patent‑intensive industries accounted for 13% of GDP 
• as of end of 2024, copyright industries generated RMB 10.1 trillion in value added (+7% YoY), representing 7% of GDP
• copyright‑related goods exports reached USD 421.17 billion, accounting for 11% of total merchandise exports

Read more from NCAC press conference (in Chinese).

If you would like any further information on any of the above matters or to discuss Embassy support for your company in China, contact Leo Zhuang (Leo.Zhuang@fcdo.gov.uk).