The Special 301 Report, released by the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) on April 30, 2026, is the product of an annual review conducted pursuant to Section 182 of the Trade Act of 1974, as amended by the Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act of 1988 and the Uruguay Round Agreements Act. The Report identifies trading partners whose acts, policies, or practices deny adequate and effective protection of intellectual property rights or deny fair and equitable market access …
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China’s National Intellectual Property Administration Announces 2026 to be “Year of Rectification and Standardization” for IP Firms
On April 23, 2026, China’s National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) released the “Notice from the CNIPA, the Ministry of Public Security, and the State Administration for Market Regulation on Issuing the Action Plan for the “Year of Rectification and Standardization” in the Intellectual Property Agency Industry (知识产权代理行业“整治规范年”行动方案). The Notice, jointly issued by the three authorities, directs provincial-level intellectual property offices, public security departments, and market regulation authorities to implement the attached Action Plan within their respective jurisdictions.
China’s State Administration for Market Regulation To Explore Extraterritorial Enforcement of Anti-Unfair Competition Law
On March 30, 2026, China’s State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) released the Notice on Further Implementing the Anti-Unfair Competition Law of the People’s Republic of China (市场监管总局关于进一步贯彻实施《中华人民共和国反不正当竞争法》的通知). The Anti-Unfair Competition Law is used to protect trade secrets and other unregistered intellectual property (e.g., marks, artificial intelligence models, etc.). SAMR provides administrative enforcement of laws outside of the court system. Two highlights of this recent Notice include strengthening the protection of trade secrets and exploring extraterritorial enforcement of the Anti-Unfair …
CNIPA Director: China Suffers From “Insufficient Market Orientation in the Commercialization and Utilization of Intellectual Property Rights”
On March 16, 2026, the Director of China’s National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) Shen Changyu published an article in Qiushi regarding commercialization of intellectual property (大力促进知识产权价值实现). Qiushi (求是), meaning “Seeking Truth,” is the official bimonthly theoretical journal of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, published in Beijing. As a premier ideological publication, it communicates CPC policies, governing philosophies, and articles from top leaders, including Xi Jinping, to guide political and ideological action. Shen’s article is a policy-level acknowledgment …