China Flags 14,460 Firms Falsely Claiming IP or Patent Agency Status

China’s National Intellectual Property Administration identified 14,460 companies falsely claiming to be IP or patent agencies.

China’s National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) identified 14,460 companies falsely claiming to be intellectual property or patent agencies on June 16, 2026. This move is part of broader regulatory efforts to maintain trust and integrity in China’s IP sector.

Earlier, in April 2026, CNIPA joined forces with the Ministry of Public Security and the State Administration for Market Regulation to initiate the 'Year of Rectification and Standardization' campaign. The campaign specifically targets irregularities and fraudulent practices within the IP agency sector, aiming to protect consumers and rights holders from misrepresentation (China IPLaw Update).

Between July 2024 and June 2025, CNIPA withdrew 213 patent applications deemed “abnormal” as part of these enforcement efforts. In addition, the administration investigated 597,000 irregular patent applications and cracked down on 427,000 malicious trademark registrations in 2024 alone (NatLaw Review).

As of the end of 2022, China had 4,520 patent agencies and 63,311 patent attorneys, reflecting a mature yet still vulnerable IP ecosystem (China IPLaw Update).

CNIPA spokesman Zhang Zhicheng underscored the progress by saying, “The figures fully demonstrate that our IPR protection environment has been approved by those foreign entities.” This suggests that the crackdown is not only a domestic but also an international signal of China’s commitment to strengthening IP enforcement standards.