China's courts conclude 2.5m IP cases in five years

Chinese courts concluded more than 2.5 million first-instance intellectual property cases between 2021 and 2025, representing a 64.44-percent increase compared to the previous five-year period, China's top court said on Saturday.

Disputes involving high-tech and cutting-edge technology sectors have continued to rise, encompassing a wide range of innovative entities such as large technology companies, small and medium-sized enterprises, research institutes and foreign firms, according to the Supreme People's Court.

With the rapid development of fields including new energy, artificial intelligence, biopharmaceuticals, core internet technologies and the digital economy, the court revealed that related IP disputes have also increased, leading to growing complexity in the judicial arena regarding issues like rights determination and technical fact-finding.

Last year, courts across China applied punitive damages in 505 IP cases, with awarded compensation totaling 1.8 billion yuan ($262.5 million), it said, adding that it effectively curbed and combated serious IP infringements.

In addition, the court has optimized the case handling process by centralizing the adjudication of technical intellectual property and antitrust appeal cases, making efforts to safeguard technological innovation and enhance the credibility and influence of the judiciary.

According to the court, as of the end of 2025, a total of 1,327 technical investigators had been included in an expert database for IP case handling, contributing to the resolution of technology-related issues in complex disputes.