Trends in China’s IP case law 2025

While the total number of court cases in China is declining slightly, the importance of IP jurisdiction is increasing noticeably. In civil IP proceedings, the courts recorded 454,000 new cases between January and September 2025, an increase of 33.78 per cent over the previous year. In contrast, the total number of proceedings fell by a… Continue reading Trends in China’s IP case law 2025

IP in the new Five-Year Plan

The new Chinese Five-Year Plan (2026–2030) reveals China’s strategic intention to establish IP not only as a legal instrument, but also as a fundamental pillar of technological sovereignty and economic competitiveness. The plan aims to transform China from a user of IP systems to a leading designer and beneficiary. To this end, IP legal protection… Continue reading IP in the new Five-Year Plan

China’s global AI strategy

The global race for AI supremacy is in full swing. The Chinese government recently published the Global AI Governance Action Plan and at the same time presented drafts for ethical AI rules and labelling requirements for AI-generated content — a clear signal of the strategic shift from pure development to global regulation and standard setting.… Continue reading China’s global AI strategy

China standardizes the Metaverse

Shanghai is going on the offensive with the publication of the first national group standard for the metaverse. The measure is a clear indication that China does not view the metaverse as just a gimmick or niche market, but as a fundamental new infrastructure for the economy and society of the future. By combining standardized… Continue reading China standardizes the Metaverse

Counterfeit Hub Hainan

At the end of 2025, China will fully open Hainan to free trade – a radically liberalized economic zone without traditional customs controls, with simplified compliance, open data flows, and tax breaks. What at first glance appears to be a strategic modernization raises serious questions from a European perspective, however, particularly with regard to intellectual… Continue reading Counterfeit Hub Hainan

The launch of digital identity

On July 15, 2025, China officially introduced digital identities (digital IDs) – a centralized, state-controlled system for authenticating individuals online. The National Cyber ID Authentication consists of a combination of numbers and letters and is mandatory for using many online services. To register, citizens must upload their identity documents, have their face scanned, and provide… Continue reading The launch of digital identity

Chinese offensive in Europe: Focus on IP and IT

The Allianz Trade Global Survey 2025 clearly shows that Chinese companies are strategically reorienting themselves as a result of the escalating trade conflict with the US and are increasingly turning their attention to Europe. Since American Liberation Day on April 2, 2025, not a single Chinese company with existing supply chains in North America has… Continue reading Chinese offensive in Europe: Focus on IP and IT

AI Protection through Competition Law

The Beijing Intellectual Property Court recently issued a landmark ruling that gives new weight to the protection of AI models under China’s Anti-Unfair Competition Law. In this case, Beijing Douyin Technology Co., Ltd., the operator of the popular Douyin app (known internationally as TikTok), sued Yirui Ke Information Technology (Beijing) Co., Ltd., the operator of… Continue reading AI Protection through Competition Law

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

New Regulations for Data Audits

On February 14, 2025, the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) published the Administrative Measures for Compliance Audits on the Protection of Personal Data, which will come into effect on May 1, 2025. The new regulations apply to all companies in China that process personal data and define clear requirements regarding the frequency of self-assessments as… Continue reading New Regulations for Data Audits