China’s WTO Accession Revisited: Achievements and Challenges in Chinese Intellectual Property Law Reform

Abstract

With 10 years having passed since China’s accession to the World Trade Organization, the time is ripe for an assessment of the achievements and challenges of China’s Long March towards a modern intellectual property law regime. The following research discusses the role of World Trade Organization accession as driver for IP law reform in China with reference to historical determinants of intellectual property reform, to the role of further bilateral and multilateral external pressures, and with reference to China’s larger innovation agenda. It further assesses achievements and challenges of 30 years of Chinese intellectual property law reform before providing concluding remarks on China’s Long March Forward towards intellectual property policy, law and enforcement.

Keywords: China, World Trade Organization (WTO), Intellectual Property Law, Enforcement, Innovation