China is poised to significantly enhance intellectual property safeguards for cutting-edge sectors, with particular emphasis on artificial intelligence domains, while actively shaping international IP governance frameworks throughout 2026. Senior officials from China National Intellectual Property Administration unveiled comprehensive strategies during a State Council Information Office briefing, highlighting multilateral cooperation with World Intellectual Property Organization as cornerstone to developing global standards for nascent industries.
Deputy Administrator Rui Wenbiao confirmed deepened intellectual property collaboration within Belt and Road Initiative frameworks, emphasizing consolidation of pragmatic cooperation across multilateral, regional and bilateral contexts. This advancement occurs alongside strengthened mechanisms supporting Chinese enterprises navigating international markets, where foreign-related IP disputes have become increasingly prevalent.
Intellectual Property Protection Department Director Guo Wen revealed substantial progress in overseas rights protection, with 99 specialized guidance platforms established across 30 provincial-level regions by end-2025. Six industry-specific platforms now focus on critical sectors including automotive and photovoltaic technologies. Remarkable achievements include over 4,800 guidance consultations conducted during 2025 alone, resolving cross-border e-commerce disputes and trademark squatting cases while recovering approximately 2.75 billion yuan ($0.39 billion) in corporate losses.
The administration plans intensified cross-departmental coordination and enhanced dispute response networks throughout 2026. Strategic initiatives will provide targeted risk warnings and precision guidance for key industries, with specialized expert recruitment strengthening capabilities in complex disputes involving standard-essential patents and trade secrets.
Strategic Planning Department Director General Liang Xinxin highlighted patent-intensive industries’ crucial role in national innovation development, particularly noting digital economy sectors’ growing prominence. Information and communication technology manufacturing and services approached 8 trillion yuan in combined added value, representing over 40% of patent-intensive industries’ total output. Emerging sectors including advanced equipment manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, healthcare and environmental protection demonstrate accelerating growth, reflecting China’s industrial transition toward high-end, intelligent and green development paradigms.
Recent data from National Bureau of Statistics and intellectual property administration confirmed patent-intensive industries achieved 18.04 trillion yuan added value during 2024, accounting for 13.38% of GDP and demonstrating robust expansion momentum.