China has significantly strengthened its global engagement in the field of intellectual property, forming cooperative ties with more than 80 countries and regions. The announcement was made by Shen Changyu, Commissioner of the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA), during a recent press briefing on IP progress under China’s 14th Five-Year Plan (2021–2025).

Among the key milestones is the activation of the China-EU agreement on geographical indications, which now offers mutual protection for a range of designated products. Additionally, China has officially joined the Hague Agreement, enabling the international registration of industrial designs.

CNIPA Deputy Commissioner Hu Wenhui emphasized equal treatment for foreign and domestic enterprises in China’s IP system. In the first half of the year, international applicants submitted around 94,000 trademark filings in China — marking a 7.4% increase over the previous year. Notably, applications from Germany, Italy, and the United States each rose by more than 20%.

To further enhance efficiency and service quality, CNIPA has expanded its infrastructure, now operating 128 national-level IP protection and rapid-response centers. These centers have registered over 8,000 foreign-invested and joint venture enterprises, providing them with equal access to services and preferential support alongside Chinese firms.

Hu Wenhui also highlighted CNIPA’s growing focus on outbound IP protection. Measures include updated foreign-related IP regulations, early-warning systems, and tailored risk response tools for Chinese businesses expanding abroad.

By the end of 2024, CNIPA had delivered over 2,300 strategic guidance sessions and nearly 6,900 consultations to domestic companies, helping reduce legal costs by more than CNY 1.32 billion (approx. EUR 157 million) and recovering economic losses totaling CNY 38.04 billion (approx. EUR 4.53 billion).