China committed to offering strict, equal IP protection for foreign innovators: official

BEIJING, July 29 -- China is committed to providing a fair business environment and strict intellectual property (IP) protection for foreign enterprises, said a Chinese IP official on Monday.

Hu Wenhui, deputy commissioner of the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA), made the remarks at a press conference held to introduce China's IP efforts aimed at promoting high-quality economic growth.

Strengthened legislation, efficient dispute resolution mechanisms and regular communication channels are the key areas China has focused on to assist foreign innovators, he said.

Hu said that the Chinese government had issued a series of guidelines and regulations, emphasizing the importance of providing equal IP protection for both domestic and foreign enterprises. He highlighted the recent updates to major IP laws, saying that the country has implemented "strict punitive measures in accordance with the highest international standards."

In terms of protection efficiency, Hu said that China has established 115 IP protection centers nationwide, with over 5,000 foreign and joint venture enterprises registered. These centers offer such enterprises the same protection services as they do to domestic enterprises.

"Over the past year, we have resolved several IP disputes involving companies from the United States, Germany, France, Italy, Thailand and Denmark. Our efforts have received high praise from foreign companies," Hu said.

He also attributed this recognition to a regular communication mechanism, saying that the CNIPA has actively listened to the opinions and demands of foreign enterprises, while providing assistance in resolving their IP protection problems.

The number of foreigners applying for patent protection in China has been increasing. In the first half of this year, foreign applicants filed 78,000 invention patent applications in China, marking year-on-year growth of 13.1 percent. Among them, Japan accounted for the highest number, followed by the United States and the Republic of Korea, said senior CNIPA official Ge Shu.

Meanwhile, the number of valid foreign invention patents and registered trademarks in China by the end of June 2024 also showed year-on-year increases of 3.9 percent and 3.8 percent, respectively.

"These rises demonstrate the strong commitment of foreign enterprises to the Chinese market and their confidence in China's IP protection," Hu said.