On March 3, 2026, China’s National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) released the 2026 Legislative Work Plan of the CNIPA (国家知识产权局2026年立法工作计划). In 2026, CNIPA will concentrate on amending the trademark law, a draft of which was released in December 2025; the regulations for the protection of integrated circuit layout designs, a draft of which was issued in December 2024; the administrative regulations for patent priority examination, a draft of which was released in February 2026; and other legislative projects.
A translation follows. The original text is available here (Chinese only).
Legislative Work Plan of the State Intellectual Property Office in 2026
2026 marks the start of the 15th Five- Year Plan. To further enhance the supply of intellectual property rights services and improve the top-level design of the legal system, this legislative work plan is formulated.
I. General Requirements
Guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, we will earnestly implement the spirit of the 20th CPC National Congress and its subsequent plenary sessions, thoroughly study and implement Xi Jinping’s thought on the rule of law, and implement the spirit of the Central Conference on Comprehensively Governing the Country According to Law and the Central Economic Work Conference. Focusing on key and difficult issues in economic and social development and hot issues of concern to the people, we will promote and improve intellectual property legislation in emerging fields, continuously enhance the systematicness, integrity, synergy, and timeliness of the intellectual property legal system, and vigorously promote the construction of a strong intellectual property nation based on more robust legal protection for intellectual property.
II. Cooperating with the legislative body to advance the revision of laws and administrative regulations
(i) In order to strengthen trademark management and protection in accordance with the law, give full play to the role of trademarks in promoting economic and social development, and cooperate with the legislative body to advance the revision process of the Trademark Law of the People’s Republic of China .
(ii) To address the problems that arise in the practice of protecting intellectual property rights for integrated circuit layout designs, provide stronger legal protection, promote industrial development, and cooperate in advancing the revision process of the “Regulations on the Protection of Integrated Circuit Layout Designs.”
III. Proposed Amendments and Improvements to Departmental Regulations
(i) Improve the patent priority examination system and revise the “Administrative Measures for Patent Priority Examination.”
(ii) In coordination with the revision process of the Regulations on the Protection of Integrated Circuit Layout Designs, revise and improve the Implementing Rules of the Regulations on the Protection of Integrated Circuit Layout Designs.
IV. Other legislative projects to be promoted
(i) In coordination with the revision process of the Trademark Law of the People’s Republic of China , we will accelerate the research and demonstration of the revision of the Implementing Regulations of the Trademark Law of the People’s Republic of China.
(ii) Improve the geographical indication system and promote the research and drafting of the “Geographical Indications Regulations.”
(iii) To prepare for the revision and improvement of the “Patent Agency Management Measures.”
(iv) Prepare to formulate the “Administrative Adjudication Measures for Integrated Circuit Layout Design.”
(v) Other legislative tasks assigned by the Party Group of the Bureau.
