• The State Council has issued the Intellectual Property Protection and Utilisation 15th Five-Year Plan, a directional document setting goals to 2030 rather than creating new filing channels.
  国务院印发《知识产权保护和运用”十五五”规划》，这是一份设定 2030 年目标的方向性文件，并未新设申报通道。

• By 2030 the plan targets more than 22 high-value invention patents per 10,000 people, at least six more than at the end of the previous plan period.
  规划提出到 2030 年每万人口高价值发明专利拥有量超过 22 件，较”十四五”末增长 6 件以上。

• The China National Intellectual Property Administration issued its Patent Examination Rules plan on 3 November 2026, with four task areas and seven special projects.
  国家知识产权局于 2026 年 11 月 3 日印发《专利和商标审查”十五五”规划》，设四方面重点任务与 7 个专项工程。

• Examination standards for big data, Artificial Intelligence Inventions and gene technology will be revised, so specifications and claims should leave room to adapt.
  大数据、人工智能发明与基因技术的审查标准将予完善，说明书与权利要求应预留调整空间。

• The plan will study protection objects for virtual and augmented reality designs and adjust submission rules for Graphical User Interfaces in due course.
  规划将研究虚拟现实、增强现实等数字领域外观设计保护客体，并适时调整图形用户界面提交规则。

• Work on Standard Essential Patents examination policy continues, which matters to companies involved in standard setting and FRAND compliance.
  标准必要专利审查政策将继续完善，这对参与标准制定与 FRAND 合规的企业尤为重要。

• Trademark measures target bad-faith filings through systematic regulation and penetrative supervision of applicants, changing how foreign brands plan their remedies.
  商标措施通过系统规制与对申请主体的穿透式监管治理恶意申请，改变外资品牌规划救济路径的方式。

• Public training on foreign patent examination policy and information sharing is part of the plan, giving foreign companies a talent and training resource.
  加强国外专利审查政策公共培训与信息共享是规划内容之一，为外资企业提供了人才与培训资源。

Two Intellectual Property Plans for the 15th Five-Year Period: What Changes for Foreign R&D Centres | 知识产权两个”十五五”规划：外资研发中心要看的三个方向

Overview

In early November 2026 two five-year plans on intellectual property were released. The State Council issued the Intellectual Property Protection and Utilisation 15th Five-Year Plan; on 3 November 2026 the China National Intellectual Property Administration issued its plan for patent and trademark examination over the same period.

Both are directional documents: no application window, quota or threshold, only the direction examination practice will follow to 2030.

Two plans, one direction

The State Council plan anchors the building of an intellectual property power with Chinese characteristics and world standards. By 2030, comprehensive strength and international competitiveness should be further enhanced across protection, market value, public services, management and international cooperation, and the building of that power should reach a decisive stage.

Its headline indicator is more than 22 high-value invention patents per 10,000 people, at least six more than at the end of the previous plan period — a resource-allocation signal as much as a target.

The examination plan is the operational half. Its goal is that by 2030 a first-class examination institution with Chinese characteristics and world standards is basically established, with a maturing system, better quality, stronger support for development and globally leading capability.

Patent examination: emerging fields first

The patent side carries five deployments. It will strengthen alignment between China’s patent legal system and high-standard trade rules such as CPTPP; promptly improve examination standards for big data, artificial intelligence and gene technology; study and improve standards for bio-breeding and green low-carbon fields; improve the examination mechanism for traditional Chinese medicine patents; and establish an “AI plus” examination management mechanism.

For an applicant, substantive standards are moving, not only procedure; a specification drafted to current practice may need revisiting.

Seven special projects

The plan sets seven special projects, among them one on patent examination rules for emerging fields, one on trademark examination quality and one on “AI plus” examination.

The emerging-fields project lists the work to watch: the definition of a person skilled in the art and the scope of prior art for AI-assisted inventions; the inventor identity and patentability of AI-generated inventions; a declaration system for AI use in applications; improved policy for standard essential patents; and protection objects for virtual and augmented reality designs, with rules for graphical user interfaces to be adjusted in due course.

Every verb there is study, improve or adjust — none is a commitment to a date.

Trademarks: bad faith and penetrative supervision

The plan meets trademark registration demand from emerging fields including artificial intelligence and virtual reality, and explores pre-examination of applications there. It deepens treatment of deceptive trademarks, including ex officio invalidation of registered marks, strengthens systematic regulation of bad-faith filings, advances penetrative supervision of applicants and improves coordinated governance of bad-faith agency.

For a foreign brand owner the object of supervision becomes the filing chain, not the filing; monitoring, opposition and invalidation remain the tools.

International cooperation

The plan covers consultation under the WIPO framework, work through the five offices of China, the United States, Europe and Japan and the BRICS mechanism, and cooperation on examination, informatisation and training with Belt and Road partners.

Three lines for a foreign R&D centre

First, emerging-field standards. Where a portfolio rests on AI, big data or gene technology, drafting should leave room for a revised definition of the skilled person and a wider prior-art scope.

Second, designs. If GUI, VR or AR protection matters, submission rules are the point to watch and a design inventory is the preparation.

Third, standards. Where the company contributes to standards, examination policy for standard essential patents and FRAND practice should be tracked together.

The plan also calls for public training on foreign patent examination policy and information sharing — a resource for foreign companies in China, not an obligation.

What the plan does not promise

No new application channel is created. No grant period is promised. No category is said to be examined faster. Where the plan says study or explore, the rule has not changed yet.

Practical steps

• Audit the portfolio for technical contribution rather than count.
• For AI-related filings, prepare inventor attribution and a use declaration in advance.
• List GUI and design assets, and track the submission rules for each.
• Monitor trademark filings and keep an opposition and invalidation calendar.
• For standards work, align the patent and FRAND positions before contributing.
• Use the public training and information-sharing channels on examination policy.

Outlook

The plans describe a system that examines fewer things more carefully. For a foreign R&D centre the question is not whether filings become easier, but whether the portfolio can be explained in terms of technical contribution.

Sources

• 国家知识产权局·《专利和商标审查”十五五”规划》印发：https://www.cnipa.gov.cn/art/2026/11/3/art_53_208900.html
• 中国政府网·《知识产权保护和运用”十五五”规划》：https://www.gov.cn/
• 国家知识产权局：https://www.cnipa.gov.cn/
• 国家知识产权局·知识产权保护与运用政策专栏：https://www.cnipa.gov.cn/

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知识产权两个”十五五”规划：外资研发中心要看的三个方向

概述

2026 年 11 月初，两份知识产权五年规划先后发布。国务院印发《知识产权保护和运用”十五五”规划》；2026 年 11 月 3 日，国家知识产权局印发《专利和商标审查”十五五”规划》。

两份都是方向性文件。它们不设申报窗口、不设名额、不设新的门槛，设定的是到 2030 年审查实践要走的方向。这也正是它们值得在配套规则出台之前先读一遍的原因。

需要先说明一点：规划不是法规。规划里写的”研究””探索””完善”，在转化为审查指南、部门规章或公告之前，不会改变当下某一类申请的实际审查结果。把它当作”即将生效的新规”来排期，容易高估短期影响；把它当作”未来五年的资源配置说明书”来读，判断会更稳。

两份规划的关系也需要分清。国务院规划管的是”保护与运用”，回答制度要往哪儿走；审查规划管的是”审查”，回答专利与商标在窗口那一端怎么被看。前者影响企业为什么申请，后者影响申请怎么写。

两份规划，一个方向

国务院规划锚定建设中国特色、世界水平的知识产权强国。到 2030 年，知识产权综合实力和国际竞争力进一步增强，保护更加有力、市场价值更加彰显、公共服务更加优质、综合管理体制更加高效、国际合作更加深入，知识产权强国建设取得决定性进展。

其核心预期性指标是：每万人口高价值发明专利拥有量超过 22 件，较”十四五”末增长 6 件以上。这类指标既是目标，也是资源配置信号——审查资源与评价导向会向”高价值”倾斜。

审查规划是操作层面的那一半。目标是到 2030 年，具有中国特色、世界水平的一流专利商标审查机构基本建成，审查制度日趋完善，审查质量显著提升，支撑发展更加有力，国际合作持续深化，审查能力全球领先。

专利审查：新兴领域先行

专利一侧有五项具体部署。加强中国专利法律制度与 CPTPP 等国际高标准经贸规则的衔接；及时完善大数据、人工智能、基因技术等新兴领域专利审查标准；研究完善生物育种、绿色低碳等重点领域专利审查标准；完善中医药专利审查机制；建立”人工智能+”审查业务管理机制。

对申请人而言，有用的读法是：变化落在实体标准上，而不只是程序上。按当下实践撰写的说明书，在这几个领域的标准完善之后可能需要回看。撰写的预留空间，比事后补救便宜。

具体到操作，可以在三个地方预留：一是权利要求的层次，独立权利要求写得过窄，标准调整后很难通过分案或修改补回范围；二是说明书中对技术效果的记载，标准一旦强调某类效果，缺少记载的部分无法后补；三是实施例的数量与分布，覆盖不足的实施例在审查趋严时会成为短板。

七个专项工程

规划设 7 个专项工程，其中包括新兴领域专利审查规则完善工程、商标审查质量提升工程、”人工智能+”审查工程等。

新兴领域工程列出了最受关注的一组工作：研究人工智能辅助发明的本领域技术人员定义与现有技术范围；研究人工智能生成发明的发明人身份和可专利性；研究专利申请中的人工智能使用声明制度；完善标准必要专利审查政策；研究虚拟现实、增强现实等数字领域外观设计保护客体，适时调整图形用户界面提交规则。

这一串动作的动词都是”研究””完善””调整”。它们不构成对时间表或结果的承诺。

专项工程的意义在于资源投向。列进工程的事项，通常会先有课题、再有指南、最后才是规则文本；对企业的含义是：这些领域的审查实践会在未来几年内持续变化，一次性的应对不够，需要有跟踪机制。

商标：恶意申请与穿透式监管

商标一侧，规划回应新兴领域的商标注册需求，探索研究人工智能、虚拟现实等领域对商标注册的需求，探索开展新兴领域商标注册申请预核；深化对带有欺骗性的商标治理，对已注册的依职权宣告无效；加强对恶意申请商标注册行为的系统规制，推进商标申请行为主体穿透式监管；加强对商标代理机构恶意代理行为的协同治理。

对外资品牌权利人来说，方向是把”申请链条”而不只是”申请”作为监管对象。监控、异议、无效仍是实务工具，变化的是这些工具所处的执法环境。

穿透式监管的含义值得单独说一句：监管关注的不只是提交了什么，还包括谁在提交、代理机构在其中扮演什么角色。对品牌方而言，这意味着选择代理机构也需要纳入合规评估，而不只是比价。

国际合作

规划提出做好 WIPO 框架下审查业务议题磋商；推动中美欧日韩知识产权五局、金砖国家等合作机制在国际规则形成中发挥作用；与共建”一带一路”国家和地区开展审查、信息化与培训合作。

对在中国有研发或品牌布局的企业，这些机制的实际用途是判断海外申请的优先顺序：五局与金砖机制覆盖的辖区，审查实践的可比性更高，先在这些辖区布局再向外延伸，通常比平均用力更省预算。

外资研发中心的三条线

第一条是新兴领域标准。组合以人工智能、大数据或基因技术为基础的，撰写时要为”本领域技术人员”定义的调整与现有技术范围的扩大留出余地。

第二条是外观设计。图形用户界面、虚拟现实与增强现实的保护如果有意义，提交规则就是观察点，设计清单就是准备工作。

第三条是标准。企业参与标准制定的，标准必要专利审查政策与 FRAND（公平、合理、无歧视）实务要放在一起跟踪，而不是分开处理。

三条线的共同点是都需要提前准备，而不是等规则落地再动。新兴领域标准的调整会改变撰写要求，外观设计提交规则会改变申请材料，标准必要专利政策会改变许可谈判的筹码。三者都不是一年内能补上的工作。

还有一条是培训。规划要求加强国外专利审查政策公共培训及信息共享，强化海外布局能力。对中国境内的外资企业来说，这是可用资源，不是新增义务。

规划没有承诺什么

没有新设申请通道，没有承诺授权周期，也没有说某一类申请会审得更快。规划写”研究””探索”的地方，规则尚未改变。

这一条对内部沟通很重要。把方向性表述转述成”明年会更快”，会在预算与排期上造成误判；把它转述成”审查会更看重技术贡献”，才是可执行的判断。

同样需要克制的，是把”探索开展新兴领域商标注册申请预核”读成”已经可以预核”。规划用”探索”，意味着机制尚在设计中，企业按现有程序准备材料即可，不必为此调整申请节奏。

操作清单

• 按技术贡献而非数量梳理专利组合，与高价值指标的导向对齐。
• 人工智能相关申请，提前准备发明人署名与使用声明材料。
• 梳理图形用户界面与外观设计资产清单，逐项跟踪提交规则。
• 建立商标监控，维护异议与无效的时间日历。
• 参与标准制定的，在提交贡献前统一专利与 FRAND 立场。
• 用好审查政策公共培训与信息共享渠道。

清单的第一项最难落地，因为它要求回答”这件专利解决了什么技术问题”，而不是”今年申请了多少件”。答不上来的部分，往往就是组合里价值最低的部分。

清单也建议按主体拆分：研发负责技术贡献的说明，法务负责权利要求的层次与地域布局，品牌与市场负责商标监控。合并成一张表时，最容易暴露的是”没有人负责”的那一项。

最后一条容易被当成软性建议。但培训与信息共享恰恰是外资企业成本最低的抓手：审查政策的变化通常先在培训与通报中出现，早一步知道，就少一次返工。

展望

两份规划描述的是一个”审得更少、审得更细”的体系。对外资研发中心而言，规划要回答的问题不是申请会不会更容易，而是组合能不能用技术贡献讲清楚。

这个判断对预算有直接影响：把资源从”多申请”转向”把关键申请写扎实”，短期件数会下降，但面对审查趋严时的稳定性会提高。对以数量考核的团队，这需要提前调整考核口径，否则规划的方向与内部激励会互相抵消。

来源

• 国家知识产权局·《专利和商标审查”十五五”规划》印发：https://www.cnipa.gov.cn/art/2026/11/3/art_53_208900.html
• 中国政府网·《知识产权保护和运用”十五五”规划》：https://www.gov.cn/
• 国家知识产权局：https://www.cnipa.gov.cn/
• 国家知识产权局·知识产权保护与运用政策专栏：https://www.cnipa.gov.cn/