China strengthens customs IPR protection, steps up crackdown on infringement

People visit the LEGO booth at the 6th China International Import Expo (CIIE) in east China's Shanghai, Nov. 8, 2023. [Photo/Xinhua]

China's customs authorities said on Thursday that customs nationwide have intensified efforts to protect intellectual property rights (IPRs) and maintained a tough stance against IPR infringement.

Customs protection of IPRs refers to the protection provided by the customs for the exclusive rights related to import or export goods and protected under the laws and administrative regulations of China, including trademark, copyrights and their related rights, and patent rights.

In 2025, customs authorities across the country seized a total of 86.42 million pieces of suspected infringing goods, enabling right holders from 57 countries and regions to safeguard their IPRs, the General Administration of Customs (GAC) told a press conference.

Targeted enforcement actions were intensified against high-risk channels, including cross-border e-commerce and market procurement trade, where infringement cases are more concentrated, the GAC noted.

Cross-border e-commerce remained the largest source of intercepted suspected infringing goods, with 24,600 batches seized last year. Seizures involving market procurement exports reached 37.89 million pieces, up 48.4% year on year.

Looking ahead, the GAC said it will leverage big data, artificial intelligence and other advanced technologies to strengthen IPR risk analysis and improve participation in the formulation of international intellectual property rules.