Guide to Patent Protection in China

A patent is an exclusive right granted for an invention, which is a product or a process that provides, in general, a new way of doing something, or offers a new technical solution to a problem. A patent provides protection for the invention to the owner of the patent and that protection means that the invention cannot be commercially made, used, distributed or sold without the patent owner’s consent. These patent rights are usually enforced in a court, which, in most systems, holds the authority to stop patent infringements. Every company owning patents and doing business with China, wishing to create long-term value and either finding an investor for their patent or licensing their patent in the future, is strongly advised to use the Chinese patent system.