Patent infringement in China at low level: report

BEIJING, March 29 (Xinhua) -- The proportion of Chinese patent holders encountering patent infringement stayed relatively low at 6.7 percent in 2023, indicating an improved capacity among patentees to defend their rights and a continuous strengthening of intellectual property right (IPR) protection, according to the latest patent survey report.

The rate has remained below 8 percent since 2021 as against over 10 percent between 2016 and 2020. Data shows that the IPR protection in China has been consistently enhanced, leading to effective control over patent infringement, said Ge Shu, a senior official at China National Intellectual Property Administration, on Friday.

In 2023, 83.1 percent of Chinese enterprise patentees took rights protection measures following instances of patent infringement, up 10.4 percentage points from the previous year.

According to Ge, the proportion of patent infringement cases with high compensation amounts has increased. In 2023, among such cases, those with compensation exceeding 5 million yuan (about 704,722 U.S. dollars) accounted for 8.4 percent, maintaining a level higher than 7 percent for three consecutive years. In comparison, the highest proportion recorded from 2016 to 2020 was only 3.1 percent.

The survey found an increased satisfaction level regarding IPR protection among Chinese patent holders, Ge said, adding that China's IP regulator will continue to strengthen legal protection in this field.