Shanghai strengthens IP protection for foreign enterprises

BEIJING - Shanghai, a metropolis hosting over 75,000 foreign enterprises, is committed to providing equal intellectual property (IP) protection for international innovators as part of its efforts to foster a fair business environment, according to the local IP authority on Tuesday.

The city has been proactively enforcing a raft of local legislation and regulations dedicated to IP protection. It has also launched special law enforcement actions, addressing more than 1,200 foreign-business-related trademark infringement cases.

For key sectors such as e-commerce and drug procurement, the city has issued guidelines to strengthen industry self-discipline, enhanced the online monitoring of IP violations, and supported patent pre-examination and priority reviews, said Rui Wenbiao, head of the Shanghai Intellectual Property Administration.

Rui also highlighted the city's communication mechanism, noting that Shanghai's IP authority has responded promptly to the concerns of foreign companies and offered assistance in resolving their problems.

He made the remarks at a press conference organized by the China National Intellectual Property Administration, which revealed China's experience in its evolution into an IP powerhouse.

Shanghai has been accelerating efforts to become a global IP protection hub. In 2024, the city achieved significant progress in IP development, with its number of high-value invention patents per 10,000 residents reaching 57.9, a year-on-year surge of 15.3 percent.

The city also recorded 10.3 percent growth in international patent applications, which totaled 6,822 filings last year.