Banny Wang

The 20th Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party concluded its third plenum last Thursday in Beijing. Over the course of the meetings, senior party leaders deliberated a wide range of economic and social policy initiatives that will have lasting implications for companies operating in China.

Over the past few months, US Patent and Trademark Office Director Kathi Vidal made a visit to China, China’s IP authorities announced a series of work plans on enhancing IP protection through administrative measures, and judicial authorities released a number of “typical cases” to set referable rulings and guidelines for future judicial proceedings.

After six months of anticipation, the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) finalized the Provisions on Facilitating and Regulating Cross-Border Data Flow on March 22, representing a pivotal step in the evolution of China’s data governance landscape. The provisions serve as a final rule to the draft rule released in September 2023.

Earlier this month, China held its national Two Sessions, the annual legislative meetings of the National People’s Congress (NPC) and the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC). Similar to last year, the work report presented at the NPC reiterated China’s commitment to strengthening IP rights protection.

Aligning with the 24 Measures, a policy directive from the State Council aimed at attracting foreign investment, China’s intellectual property (IP) agencies have undertaken multiple measures aimed at addressing the concerns of foreign IP rights holders.