Over 7,800 arrested for IPR infringement in China in 2021

BEIJING -- Chinese prosecutors approved the arrest of 7,835 people in 2021 for suspected violations of intellectual property rights (IPR), up 9.2 percent year on year, statistics from the top procuratorate show.

Another 14,020 were indicted in more than 6,500 cases of IPR infringement, said Liu Taizong, an official with the Supreme People's Procuratorate, at a press conference on Tuesday.

Of the indicted suspects, about 90 percent were charged with infringing upon trademark rights, Liu said.

Liu added that the internet has become a major arena for fighting such violations, and cautioned against frequent occurrence of infringements in the fields of science, education, information technology and culture.

In order to crack down on IPR infringement more effectively, the SPP released a set of guidelines on stepping up procuratorial efforts on IPR protection.

Stressing comprehensive juridical protection, the document requires tougher measures to combat violations of business secrets and related crimes.

It also calls for better coordination with administrative law enforcement and building a stronger team of professionals in this field.

To date, 20 provinces have established special procuratorial departments for IPR protection, according to SPP official Gong Ming.