Over the past few decades, China has been perceived as a land of copycats where local firms duplicate proven technologies and business models from the West without giving due credit. Counterfeit apparel, blatant technology infringements and pirated movies are still stereotypical portrayals of the state of intellectual property (IP) protection dynamics in the Middle Kingdom. Things, however, are starting to change.
The improvements in China’s IP protection environment can be seen on various levels: an increasing number of patents filed by local companies, IP-related lawsuits, as well as the country’s more important position globally as a key venue for patent litigation.
These shifts are of vital importance for Chinese tech firms. While IP is forming a more significant portion of their overall value, Chinese tech companies with long-term vision are adapting to these changes accordingly.
