China’s IP Reform: Opportunities,Obligations, and Risks

On April 24, 2025, the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) published an article highlighting key developments in China’s intellectual property (IP) system. At the heart of these developments is China’s continued effort to strengthen the legal protection of patents, trademarks, and copyrights, and to better align domestic legislation with international standards. This shift reflects… Continue reading China’s IP Reform: Opportunities,Obligations, and Risks

Partial Designs as an IP Strategy

Partial designs have been officially protected under Chinese Patent Law since 2021 – a significant development for companies seeking to safeguard individual design elements such as sole patterns, graphical user interfaces, or packaging details. Unlike traditional design patents, which protect the overall appearance of a product, partial designs allow for the targeted protection of particularly… Continue reading Partial Designs as an IP Strategy

Cost-Efficient Anti-Counterfeiting

In times of economic uncertainty and tight budgets, many companies face the challenge of optimizing their anti-counterfeiting efforts (ACF) in China without sacrificing effectiveness. Completely halting ACF is not an option, as this would lead to a resurgence of suppressed piracy and render previous investments futile. The financial damage from short-term revenue losses (often 3–5%… Continue reading Cost-Efficient Anti-Counterfeiting

China’s Competitive Advantages in Artificial Intelligence

China is emerging as a leading player in many areas of AI. This was demonstrated by the recent World AI Conference 2024 held in Shanghai, where the latest advancements in AI technology were showcased, including the large language model Novel 5.5. The Asian country continues to cooperate intensively with the USA in this field. According… Continue reading China’s Competitive Advantages in Artificial Intelligence

Cultural adaptation in the virtual space

The virtual space opens up completely new ways for companies in China to communicate, but it also requires a deep understanding of the cultural nuances that shape interactions. There are many critical factors that influence success in this environment – from the choice of avatar attire to the meaning of numbers and colors.  Avatar clothing… Continue reading Cultural adaptation in the virtual space

China’s AI verdict will change the markets

The ruling made headlines: Beijing’s Internet Court has ruled in a landmark judgment that AI-generated images can be copyrighted because they reflect the creative contribution of humans. The parameters of the AI set by humans make the end result worthy of copyright. This surprising decision, which deviates massively from Western case law, offers new perspectives… Continue reading China’s AI verdict will change the markets

Intellectual property in ASEAN

Intellectual property rights are gaining importance in ASEAN countries. The ASEAN Intellectual Property Action Plan 2016-2025 provides for the strengthening of intellectual property offices, the development of regional platforms, an inclusive IP ecosystem and the promotion of asset creation. Around 75% of the plan has already been implemented. Future priorities include harmonizing intellectual property rights,… Continue reading Intellectual property in ASEAN

The importance of the UPC for Chinese companies

The Unified European Patent Court (UPC) is a new international court established by the contracting EU member states. It creates an effective forum through the Unitary Patent System to enable the enforcement and challenge of patents in Europe. The court eliminates the need for litigation in different countries and increases legal certainty through harmonized jurisdiction.… Continue reading The importance of the UPC for Chinese companies

What is the point of scenarios?

Not much. Because scenarios are always ideal types – simplistic, very general and, above all, static images of the future. But the future depends on many factors that are constantly changing and have feedback effects. Numerous actors interact constantly, feedbacks change their positions. In the supposed China/Russia bloc, for example, India, Turkey, Indonesia and Saudi… Continue reading What is the point of scenarios?

Innovation Leader China

A study by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) has revealed that China is already better than the U.S. and the EU in 37 out of 44 key innovation areas – the country has an answer to almost every technical challenge in the world. The study is based on a new technology tracker that compares… Continue reading Innovation Leader China