On June 24, at Zhihe Bio in Western (Chongqing) Science City, staff members analyze and test ceramides. (Photo/Chongqing Daily)
Chongqing - On July 31, Chongqing passed its first comprehensive intellectual property (IP) law, effective September 1, 2025, designed to streamline IP creation, protection, and management, particularly for companies expanding overseas.
The city has also partnered with the World Intellectual Property Organization’s Arbitration and Mediation Center, helping local companies like MCC CISDI, Jinshan Technology, Seres, and Changan Auto manage overseas IP risks, resolve disputes, and train nearly 900 participants.
Chongqing is focusing efforts along the China-Europe Railway Express and the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor. Authorities are encouraging businesses to utilize fast-track options such as the Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH), PCT filings, and Madrid trademark registration.
For example, a utility model patent for a “plasma surgical electrode” filed by Chongqing Xishan Technology was granted in just six working days, 95% faster than the standard eight-month timeline. An invention patent filed by Seres Automotive was approved in 34 working days, down from the typical 16-month review period.
In recent years, Chongqing has made significant strides in IP management. In 2024, the city granted 54,800 patents, including 14,300 inventions. The number of high-value invention patents per 10,000 people increased by 21% to 8.65, while the total number of invention patents per 10,000 people reached 22.94. Additionally, Chongqing recorded 895,400 valid registered trademarks and continued progress in registering geographical indications (GIs).
The city now ranks first in western China for certified IP-intensive products, and the added value of these industries has grown by two percentage points as a share of GDP since the end of the 13th Five-Year Plan.
Chongqing's National Intellectual Property Protection Center began operations in December 2024. By March 2025, it had registered 351 institutional users, reviewed 156 patent pre-examination applications, and approved 94 of them. The average review time was just 4.39 working days. The city has also established 12 major IP service platforms, including trademark hubs, IP operation centers, and overseas rights protection services.
Clear rules for patents, trademarks, and GIs
Lou Zhenxin from the Chongqing Municipal People’s Congress noted that the city still lacks flagship IP portfolios to match its innovation capacity, with incomplete protection mechanisms and legal tools needing refinement. The new regulation aims to address these issues.
The regulation consists of six chapters and 55 articles. It lays out a unified framework while offering targeted rules for patents, trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets, and geographical indications. Responsibilities are defined at both the city and district levels, with the IP authority leading implementation. Seven IP categories are assigned to specific departments, and provisions are included for digital governance and international collaboration.
The regulation supports IP use in online media, digital publishing, and software. It also promotes GI demonstration zones, cultural trademarks, and encourages companies to expand their international trademark portfolios.
The regulation also promotes patent strategies, industry patent pools, and closer collaboration between businesses and research institutions.
Incentives such as equity, stock options, or profit-sharing are offered to scientists and inventors, with tax benefits where applicable, aiming to unlock the commercial potential of research.
For disputes, the regulation calls for specialized IP arbitration, expert engagement, and coordination between administrative and judicial bodies. It also prohibits abuse of rights and calls for good-faith conduct.
“By combining administrative, judicial, and market tools with broader public oversight, this regulation creates a more transparent and reliable environment for innovation,” said Zhang Nan, a deputy to the Chongqing Municipal People’s Congress.