China's Supreme People's Court Reports Surge in Foreign-Related IP Cases

On March 9, 2026, China's Supreme People's Court (SPC) released its 2025 Work Report, highlighting a significant increase in foreign-related intellectual property (IP) cases during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025).

Key Statistics

• Foreign-Related IP Cases: The SPC adjudicated 49,000 foreign-related IP cases, marking a 115.9% increase compared to the previous five-year plan.
• Total IP Cases: In 2025 alone, 496,000 IP cases were concluded, a year-on-year increase of 0.3%.
• IP Infringement Crimes: 19,000 individuals were sentenced for IP infringement crimes, reflecting a 6.2% year-on-year increase.

Judicial Initiatives

The SPC emphasized its commitment to protecting scientific and technological innovation through various measures:

• Enhanced Legal Framework: Formulated opinions on serving and safeguarding scientific and technological innovation to promote new productive forces.
• Punitive Damages: Applied punitive damages in cases of malicious infringement, including a notable case involving trade secrets in CNC machine tools, resulting in damages of 380 million yuan.
• Data Protection: Adjudicated 908 cases involving data ownership and transactions, a 25.6% year-on-year increase, and issued guidelines to regulate data collection and use.

Implications

The substantial rise in foreign-related IP cases underscores China's intensified efforts to strengthen IP protection and align with international standards. This trend reflects the country's focus on fostering an innovation-driven economy and enhancing the legal environment for both domestic and foreign enterprises.

Businesses operating in China should take note of the evolving IP landscape and ensure robust compliance strategies to navigate the increasingly stringent enforcement measures.