TECH

China Moves to Rein In AI-Era Counterfeiting and IP Disputes

Published: Sep. 9, 2026 12:14 a.m. GMT+8

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As new technologies emerge, China's National Intellectual Property Administration is working to accelerate patent approvals. Photo: IC

China’s judiciary and intellectual property regulators have introduced new legal guidelines for artificial intelligence disputes and accelerated patent approvals to help domestic technology companies combat increasingly sophisticated counterfeiting.

The regulatory updates highlight Beijing’s urgent push to fortify its legal framework as rapid advancements in AI and 3D scanning create new avenues for intellectual property theft and complicate Chinese firms’ global expansion.

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China issued AI dispute guidelines and patent rule revisions; valid invention patents in strategic industries reached 1.75 million by end-June, up 4.3%.
Huawei says 3D scanning lets counterfeiters replicate 1,000-yuan earbuds within a month; it sometimes converts counterfeit manufacturers into partners via licensing.
Courts scrutinize malicious IP litigation, citing three Unitree Robotics lawsuits resolved in 30–40 days; 83 protection centers handled nearly 200,000 pre-exam applications.

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Who’s Who

Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd.: Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd. fights counterfeiting by using 3D scanning detection, licensing technology to capable counterfeit manufacturers, or integrating them into its open-source HarmonyOS ecosystem. Its IP head Kang Wei noted enforcement challenges due to hidden supply chains and overseas sales.

Unitree Robotics: Unitree Robotics, a Chinese robotics company, faced three intellectual property lawsuits last year during its IPO preparation. The courts resolved these within 30-40 days, explicitly criticizing the plaintiffs for improper litigation. Additionally, its humanoid robot technology benefited from China's accelerated patent approval system, with authorization cycles shortened to under three months.

Xiaomi Corp.: Xiaomi Corp. is mentioned as a beneficiary of China’s accelerated patent approval system, specifically for its die-casting materials. The new guidelines aim to help domestic tech firms combat counterfeiting and protect IP.

Moore Threads: Moore Threads is a Chinese technology company specializing in GPU technology. According to the article, it has benefited from China's accelerated patent approval system, which shortened the patent authorization cycle for its GPU innovations to less than three months, helping it combat counterfeiting and support domestic tech competitiveness.

Luckin Coffee Inc.: Luckin Coffee Inc. is a Chinese company mentioned in the article as a case where authorities can certify a brand's domestic prominence to support legal disputes abroad under revised trademark rules. This helps protect its brand internationally amid China's efforts to strengthen IP legal frameworks for tech firms facing counterfeiting and overseas expansion challenges.

DeepSeek: DeepSeek is a Chinese startup that, according to the article, received assistance from local authorities to accelerate overseas trademark registration as part of China's broader efforts to strengthen intellectual property protection for domestic tech firms.

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