中国建立并不断完善知识产权法律体系，法律保护力度不断提高。中国在较短时间内建立起一套完备且高标准的知识产权法律体系，走过了发达国家通常几十年甚至上百年才完成的立法路程。目前已经建立了从法律、规划、政策到执行机构等知识产权保护、运用和管理的完整体系。世界知识产权组织前总干事阿帕德·鲍格胥博士曾评价称，“这在知识产权发展史上是独一无二的”。2013年，中国修订了《商标法》，增加了惩罚性赔偿制度，将法定赔偿限额从50万元提高至300万元，保护力度大幅度提高。自2014年启动的《专利法》第四次全面修改工作，提出了加强专利权保护的相关建议措施，包括加大对侵权行为的惩罚力度、完善证据规则、完善行政保护措施、加强网络环境下专利保护等。2017年修订《反不正当竞争法》，进一步完善了商业秘密的保护，明确市场混淆行为，拓宽对标识的保护范围，同时强化了对有关违法行为的法律责任。2017年10月1日，《中华人民共和国民法总则》施行，该法规定：“民事主体依法享有知识产权”，并明确规定商业秘密属于知识产权，加强了对商业秘密的保护。

China has formulated and improved its laws and regulations on IP protection, and enhanced protection of IPR. China built a fully-fledged and high-standard IP legal framework in a relatively short period, compared to the decades or more that developed countries spent setting up similar legal systems. China has put in place a complete regime of IP protection, utilization and administration, spanning laws, planning, policies and enforcement agencies. Dr. Arpad Bogsch, former Director-General of the WIPO, has commented, “China had accomplished all this at a speed unmatched in the history of intellectual property protection.” In 2013, China amended its Trademark Law, setting up a system of punitive damages under which the damages cap is raised from RMB 500,000 to RMB 3 million, thus remarkably enhancing protection. Since the fourth major amendment to Patent Law launched in 2014, China has put forward measures for further strengthening protection of patents such as introducing harsher punishment for infringements, improving the rule of evidence, enhancing administrative protection, and better protecting patents in cyber space. In 2017, China amended the Anti-Unfair Competition Law, which further improves the protection of trade secrets, identifies act of confusion, expands the scope of protection for indications, and ratchets up legal liabilities for illegal acts. On October 1st, 2017, China adopted General Provisions of the Civil Law, which stipulates that “Civil entities enjoy intellectual property rights in accordance with law”, and enhances protection of trade secrets by making them a subject of IP protection. 

　　加强知识产权司法保护，充分发挥司法保护主导作用。2014年，中国在北京、上海、广州设立了专门的知识产权法院，跨区域管辖专利等知识产权案件。自2009年以来，中国共设立了天津、南京、苏州、武汉、西安等16个知识产权法庭，有效提升了知识产权专业化审判水平。2013年至2017年，中国法院共新收各类知识产权案件813564件，审结781257件。2017年，中国法院共新收一审知识产权案件213480件，结案202970件，分别比上年增加46%和43%。中国已经成为世界上审理知识产权案件尤其是专利案件最多的国家。中国依法平等保护中外当事人合法权益。2016年，中国法院共审结涉外知识产权民事一审案件1667件，同比上升25.6%（专栏3）。中国处理涉外知识产权案件的审理周期是全世界最短的之一，北京知识产权法庭平均为4个月。由于司法程序快捷，目前中国法院已被国际上视为知识产权诉讼较为可取的诉讼地，北京知识产权法院受理的案件中有相当一部分双方当事人都是外国人。

　　图表：专栏3 中国法院依法审理涉外知识产权案件 新华社发

China has intensified judicial protection for intellectual property and given full play to judicial protection. In 2014, China set up three IP tribunals in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou to handle cross-regional IP cases, including those related to patents. Since 2009, China has established 16 special judicial organs in Tianjin, Nanjing, Suzhou, Wuhan, Xi’an and other cities, effectively enhancing the professional handling of IP cases. Between 2013 and 2017, Chinese courts received 813,564 new IP cases of all sorts, and handled and closed 781,257 cases. In 2017, Chinese courts received 213,480 first-instance cases, and concluded 202,970 cases, up by 46% and 43% from the previous year. More IP cases, especially patent cases, are tried in China than in any other country. China provides equal protection for the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese and foreign interested parties in accordance with law. In 2016, Chinese courts heard and closed 1,667 first-instance cases related to foreign entities and individuals, up by 25.6% year-on-year.  (See Box 3) The adjudication period for foreign-related IP cases in China is among the shortest in the world. Beijing IP court processes cases in four months on average. Thanks to its rapid judicial procedure, China is increasingly being selected as the forum of choice for non-Chinese companies to litigate IP disputes, and a significant number of both the plaintiffs and defendants in Beijing IP court are foreigners.