China Unveils Five-Year Blueprint to Strengthen Intellectual Property Rights Enforcement

China has introduced a new five-year blueprint designed to enhance the protection of intellectual property rights (IPR) and effectively curb infringement across the country. The plan, recently issued by the State Council—the nation's Cabinet—sets ambitious goals for tougher legislation and stronger law enforcement in key sectors.

This initiative follows a broader 15-year master plan released in September, which outlined China's aspiration to become a global leader in IPR protection by 2035. The current five-year strategy builds on that vision by focusing on immediate, concrete measures.

Central to the blueprint is the enforcement of a punitive compensation system aimed at deterring IPR violations. The plan also targets an increase in the contribution of patent-intensive and copyright industries to China’s gross domestic product (GDP) over the coming years.

Legislative reforms are a key component, with planned amendments to patent, trademark, copyright, and antitrust laws. Additionally, the government intends to strengthen regulations related to geographical indications and commercial secrets.

Shen Changyu, head of the China National Intellectual Property Administration, described the blueprint as a "concrete road map" for IPR development. He emphasized the philosophy that "protecting IPR is protecting innovation" and highlighted efforts to establish a comprehensive protection mechanism.

Given the rapid expansion of China’s online economy, the blueprint addresses the need for coordinated IPR protection both online and offline. It also recognizes challenges unique to the digital age, such as the ease with which infringement evidence can be destroyed.

The plan calls for enhanced protective mechanisms covering emerging fields and new business models, including big data, artificial intelligence, and gene technology. It also promotes research into data-related IPR protection regulations.

Cultural and creative sectors will receive increased safeguards, with specific measures to protect intangible cultural heritage, sports, entertainment programs, and livestreaming activities. The government will establish a damage evaluation mechanism for IPR infringements to better quantify losses.

A special program dedicated to data IPR protection will be launched, alongside efforts to explore relevant legislation and promote amendments to existing laws and regulations.

Supporting these initiatives, a recent World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) report revealed that China led the world in patent applications last year, filing 1.5 million requests. The country also issued over 530,000 patents, marking a 17.1 percent year-on-year increase and the highest patent approval growth among WIPO members.

Dong Yu, executive vice-dean of the China Institute for Development Planning at Tsinghua University, noted that IPR has become a foundational pillar for China’s high-quality development. Official data show that patent-dependent industries accounted for 11.6 percent of China’s GDP last year, while copyright industries made up 7.4 percent.

Dong emphasized that stronger IPR protection will underpin the development of a high-standard market system, leveling the playing field for innovative businesses and enhancing consumer market quality and rights protection.

To maximize IPR’s economic impact, the blueprint pledges improvements in transfer and transformation mechanisms. It also aims to grant researchers at colleges and research institutions greater autonomy over releasing their findings.

Financial innovation related to IPR will be pursued steadily, including refining financing systems through IPR mortgages and enhancing risk management frameworks.

Yi Jiming, director of the Institute for International Intellectual Property at Peking University, remarked that the document seeks to better integrate IPR mechanisms with technological innovation and industrial transformation, thereby accelerating growth in emerging sectors.