Enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights in China

The intellectual property rights (IPR) available in China are similar to those available in Europe. The registered rights available are invention patents, utility patents, design patents and trade marks. Copyright can also be recorded. There are unregistered rights derived from the law on trade secrets and unfair competition but these are difficult to rely on and it is therefore advised that rights owners register their IP with the relevant authorities. As always, the first step is to register the IP rights that your company wishes to protect. Then put in place procedures to monitor trade fairs, online sellers, and any other areas where infringing products might be sold or marketed. Assuming you have registered your IP and found it being infringed then you will want to enforce it.