On April 23, 2026, the State Council Information Office held a press conference on China’s 2025 intellectual property (IP) development. The briefing was led by Rui Wenbiao, Deputy Director of the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA), with participation from Wang Zhicheng of the Copyright Management Bureau of the Central Propaganda Department, Wang Huowang of the Enforcement and Inspection Bureau of the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR), and Guo Wen, CNIPA spokesperson and Director of the Intellectual Property Protection Department. The conference summarized the completion of first-stage objectives under the IP Power Nation Outline and the 14th Five-Year Plan, and outlined priorities for 2026.
The full text of the press conference is available here (Chinese only).
Statistical Summary for 2025
The filing and registration figures reported for the year were as follows:
- Invention patents granted: 972,000
- Trademark registrations: 4.206 million
- Copyright registrations: 10.677 million
- Geographical indication products recognized: 104
- Geographical indications registered as collective or certification marks: 51
- Plant variety rights granted: 6,986
China became the first country with over 5 million valid invention patents in force, with filings covering quantum technology, biomanufacturing, brain-computer interfaces, and 6G communications.
Enforcement activity across administrative, judicial, customs, and criminal channels produced the following data:
- Market regulation authorities: 37,000 patent and trademark violation cases handled
- Administrative adjudication of patent infringement disputes: 9,341 cases concluded
- IP mediation cases: 62,000
- Copyright enforcement (physical market): 2,713 cases
- Customs seizures: 38,000 batches, covering 75.75 million items
- Courts: 540,000 IP cases concluded
- Procuratorial prosecutions: 19,000 persons prosecuted for IP crimes; 3,658 civil, administrative, and public interest cases
- Public security case filings: 26,000
On commercialization, the patent industrialization rate reached 10.1% for universities and 17.2% for research institutions. Cumulative patent assignment and licensing filings since the start of the special action reached 1.458 million, a 48% increase. Technology contracts involving patents totaled RMB 1.18 trillion, up 18.8% year-on-year, and IP royalty trade volume rose to RMB 425.35 billion, with exports up 26.3%. Patent-intensive industries accounted for 13.38% of GDP, and copyright industries for 7.46%. Chinese brand value within the global top 5,000 reached USD 1.81 trillion, placing second globally, while geographical indication product output approached RMB 1 trillion.
Legislative and Regulatory Developments
Several legislative measures were completed or advanced during 2025. Amendments to the Anti-Unfair Competition Law and the Regulations on the Protection of New Plant Varieties were finalized, and the Trademark Law (Revised Draft) passed its first review by the NPC Standing Committee. The State Council issued its Provisions on the Handling of Foreign-Related IP Disputes, and the Provisions on the Protection of Trade Secrets were issued to further develop the administrative protection framework for trade secrets. Revisions remain in progress for the Regulations on the Protection of Integrated Circuit Layout Designs, the Implementing Regulations of the Copyright Law, and the Regulations on National Defense Patents.
Focus Areas Identified for 2026
Emerging Technology Protection
The 2026 IP Publicity Week theme is “Strengthening IP Protection in Emerging Fields and Accelerating the Development of New Quality Productive Forces.” CNIPA described a four-tier approach to protection in emerging fields. The first tier applies existing rules, as illustrated by revisions to the patent examination guidelines addressing AI applications and adding ethical considerations. The second tier amends existing frameworks, such as the ongoing revision of the Regulations on the Protection of Integrated Circuit Layout Designs. The third tier integrates regimes, with patent protection now available for intermediate breeding materials in a manner that connects with the plant variety rights system. The fourth tier establishes new mechanisms, including data IP pilots operating in 17 provinces and cities, which have issued nearly 50,000 registration certificates covering 87 industry categories.
“On-Demand Examination” of Patent Applications
CNIPA described a differentiated examination approach summarized as “fast when needed, slow when needed, combined fast and slow, changing as required.” Expedited examination during the 14th Five-Year Plan period covered 727,000 cases with an average cycle of approximately seven months, and 925,000 cases were pre-examined through protection centers with an average cycle under three months. Deferred examination was applied to 89,000 applications, addressing sectors such as biopharmaceuticals and telecommunications where longer timelines align with clinical trial and market entry schedules. Concentrated examination of key core technology patent portfolios has been organized in over 140 batches, shifting from case-by-case handling to grouped review.
Enforcement Against “Calculated Trademarks”
CNIPA addressed the issue of trademarks designed to mimic product features and mislead consumers through deceptive promotion, referred to as “心机商标” (calculated trademarks). Since 2023, 1.273 million such trademark applications have been rejected, and 3,351 registered trademarks have been invalidated ex officio. The Trademark Law revision draft adds provisions targeting “misleading use of registered trademarks,” and the 2026 IP Administrative Protection Work Plan identifies misleading combinations of trademarks with product names and slogans as a priority for treatment. CNIPA has also issued a Notice on Strengthening Trademark Use Management and is coordinating enforcement with market regulation authorities.
Market Regulation Enforcement Priorities
SAMR announced a special enforcement action covering emerging fields and e-commerce. The action targets new-generation information technology, AI, biotechnology, new energy, and green technology sectors, with emphasis on proactive and forward-looking protection against bad-faith trademark registration and infringement. Online and offline enforcement will proceed in parallel, with particular attention to trademark infringement, patent counterfeiting, and geographical indication misuse in livestream commerce and social commerce. SAMR will also conduct a follow-up review of the 2024 Self-Regulatory Pact signed by 81 e-commerce platforms and address the problem of “ghost online stores” using false address information. A “Digital + Enforcement” capacity-building program will apply big data and AI tools to case lead analysis.
Copyright Enforcement
The National Copyright Administration will continue the “Jianwang 2026” campaign targeting online infringement, focusing on audiovisual works, online literature, and online transmission. Additional enforcement will address theatrical films, cultural and creative products, and youth publications. The 10th China Online Copyright Protection and Development Conference is scheduled for May 2026 and will include release of the top ten infringement cases of 2025.
IP Finance
Reported figures for the 14th Five-Year Plan period include patent pledge loans issued by banking institutions totaling over RMB 900 billion, benefiting more than 110,000 SMEs. IP securitization products issued on the Shanghai and Shenzhen exchanges exceeded RMB 37 billion, and IP insurance provided coverage of over RMB 100 billion for more than 25,000 enterprises. Risk compensation policies for IP pledge financing have been adopted in 13 provinces and 124 cities. CNIPA, together with the People’s Bank of China and the National Financial Regulatory Administration, issued the Patent Evaluation Guidelines as a national standard.
International Cooperation
China ranked 10th in the 2025 Global Innovation Index, entering the top ten for the first time, and 24 of its clusters appeared among the global top 100 innovation clusters, with the Shenzhen-Hong Kong-Guangzhou cluster ranked first globally. Cooperation with WIPO produced 202 Technology and Innovation Support Centers, and the two organizations jointly held the International Exchange Conference on IP Enforcement. The “Copyright in China” exhibition was held in Geneva in July 2025 during the 66th WIPO Assemblies, drawing over 1,000 participants from 194 member states and 65 observer organizations.
Outlook
2026 marks the start of the 15th Five-Year Plan and the second stage of IP Power Nation construction. CNIPA indicated that priorities include deepening reform in the IP sector, strengthening protection and utilization, and improving full-chain IP work.
