China has intensified efforts to enhance intellectual property (IP) protection, ensuring that innovators' legitimate rights are safeguarded. This announcement was made by the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) on May 28th, 2024.

Guo Wen, head of the IP protection division at the CNIPA, recently reported at a news conference that 71 national-level IP protection centers have been established across China. Additionally, 41 stations have been set up to help innovators resolve IP disputes. These IP protection centers are now present in major and developed cities across China. The stations have been strategically placed in areas with high concentrations of small commodities and fast-moving consumer goods.

From January to April, these IP centers and stations handled 35,000 cases, with an average processing time of around two weeks. "This allows IP rights owners to receive timely and convenient protection," Guo Wen noted. During the first four months of 2024, the institutes processed 85,000 patent pre-review requests. More than 150,000 government agencies and enterprises have registered with these centers to access faster and more optimized IP services. In 2023, these institutes issued 833 patent analysis reports and conducted 2,142 free IP training sessions.

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