On December 27, 2025, the NPC of China Released the Foreign Trade Law of the People’s Republic of China.

The Foreign Trade Law of the People’s Republic of China was adopted at the 7th Session of the Standing Committee of the 8th National People’s Congress on May 12, 1994; first revised at the 8th Session of the Standing Committee of the 10th National People’s Congress on April 6, 2004; first amended in accordance with the Decision on Amending Twelve Laws Including the Foreign Trade Law of the People’s Republic of China adopted at the 24th Session of the Standing Committee of the 12th National People’s Congress on November 7, 2016; second amended in accordance with the Decision on Amending the Foreign Trade Law of the People’s Republic of China adopted at the 38th Session of the Standing Committee of the 13th National People’s Congress on December 30, 2022; and second revised at the 19th Session of the Standing Committee of the 14th National People’s Congress on December 27, 2025.

Chapter V. Protection of Intellectual Property Related to Foreign Trade

Article 32: The State strengthens the protection of intellectual property related to foreign trade and, in accordance with relevant laws and administrative regulations on intellectual property, protects intellectual property related to foreign trade.

Where imported goods infringe intellectual property rights and jeopardize the order of foreign trade, the competent department of foreign trade under the State Council may adopt measures such as prohibiting the import of the relevant infringing goods produced or sold by the infringer for a specified period of time.

Article 33: The State carries out international exchanges and cooperation on intellectual property related to foreign trade, actively advances external negotiations on intellectual property related to foreign trade, establishes and improves overseas intellectual property early warning and rights protection assistance information platforms, and enhances the intellectual property compliance level and risk response capacity of foreign trade operators.

Article 34: Where an intellectual property right holder engages in acts such as preventing a licensee from challenging the validity of intellectual property under a licensing contract, imposing compulsory package licensing, or stipulating exclusive grant-back conditions in a licensing contract, and such acts harm fair competition in foreign trade, the competent department of foreign trade under the State Council may take necessary measures to eliminate such harm.

Article 35: Where other countries or regions fail to grant national treatment to individuals or organizations of the People’s Republic of China in terms of intellectual property protection, or fail to provide sufficient and effective intellectual property protection for goods, technologies, or services originating from the People’s Republic of China, the competent department of foreign trade under the State Council may, in accordance with this Law and other relevant laws and administrative regulations, and based on international treaties and agreements concluded or acceded to by the People’s Republic of China, take necessary measures with respect to foreign trade with such countries or regions.