Intellectual property enforcement trends positive for foreign entities

Over the last ten years, China has made considerable changes to its intellectual property enforcement mechanisms, including specialised IP courts in key cities such as Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou. For foreign entities filing in the world's most competitive IP market, the ability to enforce these protections has long been a key consideration.

The latest WIPO statistics show that around three times the number of patents were filed in China in 2023 compared to the second highest filer, the US. International businesses, particularly those at the forefront of technology, rely heavily on IP protection and often have questions about how Chinese courts handle IP disputes involving foreign entities. Whether foreign entities receive equal treatment in China when facing IP disputes has also been seen significant focus.