A Rational Thinking On The Refusal To License Intellectual Property Under China's Antitrust Legal Framework

1. Introduction

This article will address the perplexing issue of refusal to license a patent or copyright to other undertakings conducted by intellectual property proprietors under China's antitrust legal framework. The issue of refusal to license is at the interface of Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) and antitrust law. It argues from theoretical perspective that refusal to license is a right inherent in patent rights or copyright, and that compulsory license based on antitrust law should only be ordered in exceptional circumstances. It further illustrates the legislations applicable in China and how they should be applied to disputes regarding refusal to license. We will further examine a high-profile antitrust case related to license of Standard Essential Patents (SEPs), namely, the Huawei v. IDC case, which is seen as the model case dealing with IP antitrust matters. In the final analysis the author shares caveats for assessing issues regarding refusal to