IP Protection in New Areas

Intellectual property protection has always been high on the Chinese agenda. For example, the Made in China 2025 strategy aims to transform Chinese enterprises from manufacturers into owners and creators of intellectual property in the global economy. In September and October 2021, China published the Outline of Building an IPR Powerhouse (2021-2035) and the 14th… Continue reading IP Protection in New Areas

China’s Triumph in Robotics

The Middle Kingdom continues to gain ground in the research and development of the robotics industry and can hardly be caught up. This development is clearly visible when looking at the total number of patents in this field. China leads the world in this area by a significant margin, having filed nearly three times as… Continue reading China’s Triumph in Robotics

Development Partner for Smart Cities

The concept of Smart Cities is gaining importance in many countries. It aims to, significantly improve efficiency and quality in the areas of urban mobility, communication, shopping and living through the use of networked devices, cloud computing and Big Data. China is very successfully combining embedded sensors, meters, cameras and other surveillance technologies with Big… Continue reading Development Partner for Smart Cities

China Expands IP Legal System

The Chinese government is focusing more on legal certainty in intellectual property and is condensing the network of agencies responsible for IP. Currently, the structure of courts handling IP infringement lawsuits is organized according to the principle of “1 plus 4 plus 22.” Here, the number 1 represents the IP court at the national level,… Continue reading China Expands IP Legal System

Creative Commons and Copyleft: Open-Source Licenses in China

Free open source software is highly popular in China. A recent report by the Chinese think tank China Academy for Information and Communication Technology (CAICT) states that in 2019, 87.4% of Chinese companies had already used open source technologies, and by now the figure is likely to be even higher. Standardized licenses (public copyright licenses),… Continue reading Creative Commons and Copyleft: Open-Source Licenses in China

Market Entry with Strong IP: Not Always Recommended

Western companies are often enthusiastic about their innovative technology and rely on their strong patents to be monetized globally. But what about the company’s own competitive advantage in the Chinese market and in third markets already served by strong-patent Chinese competitors? Does the company have freedom of exercise there, or does it infringe already existing… Continue reading Market Entry with Strong IP: Not Always Recommended

IP Due Diligence Reduces Risk of Investments in Startups

Because new technologies such as artificial intelligence, Big Data, the Internet of Things and blockchain are developing rapidly in China, Chinese high-tech startups have become the most popular investment targets for multinational companies. While intellectual property is the greatest asset of these startups, it also poses a high risk to investors. Is its IP protected… Continue reading IP Due Diligence Reduces Risk of Investments in Startups

Anti-Suit Injunction (ASI): The Global Legal Battle over SEP Licenses

A new global trade war is brewing between China and the West over licenses for standard essential patents (SEPs), which are supposed to be granted under FRAND (fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory) terms. Chinese companies are increasingly trying to obtain cheaper licenses for their cell phones via anti-suit injunctions (ASI). Experts are already talking about an… Continue reading Anti-Suit Injunction (ASI): The Global Legal Battle over SEP Licenses

China Is Creating a Huge Reservoir of Prior Art

When it comes to patents, the U.S. increasingly finds itself at a disadvantage in the innovation race with China. For example, AI patent applications from China significantly outpace those from the U.S., which means that China’s patent applications hurt U.S. innovators because they create a huge reservoir of “prior art.” This dramatically increases the amount… Continue reading China Is Creating a Huge Reservoir of Prior Art

China’s New Focus: Strengthening Demand and Promoting Brands

As part of its Domestic Circulation strategy, which aims to strengthen the domestic economy, China is also focusing on stimulating demand from Chinese consumers and strengthening Chinese brands. The COVID epidemic has shown that domestic demand is not as strong as thought after all. It is foreseeable that the central government will shift its focus… Continue reading China’s New Focus: Strengthening Demand and Promoting Brands