China has revised its regulations on the protection of integrated-circuit layout designs, sharpening penalties for infringement and clarifying ownership rights in a move aimed at accelerating domestic semiconductor innovation.
Premier Li Qiang signed a State Council decree to promulgate the updated rules, which will take effect on October 15. The revision marks the first major overhaul of the framework governing chip-design protection in more than two decades.
The new rules clarify financial penalties for infringement and set out clearer provisions on licensing, transfer and co-ownership rights. The changes are intended to give designers and firms greater legal certainty over their intellectual property and to encourage broader commercialisation of protected designs.
Layout designs — the three-dimensional configurations of the circuits, transistors and other elements etched onto a semiconductor — are a foundational form of chip intellectual property. Stronger legal safeguards are seen as a prerequisite for attracting investment into advanced design work.
The revision comes as China intensifies efforts toward technological self-sufficiency in semiconductors, a sector that has become central to its rivalry with the United States. Washington has progressively tightened export controls on advanced chips and manufacturing equipment, prompting Beijing to prioritise homegrown capabilities.
The updated protections build on a broader package of measures, including tax incentives designed to nurture domestic chipmakers, that Beijing has rolled out to strengthen its position in the global supply chain.
By tightening enforcement and clarifying rights, authorities aim to reduce disputes and lower the risks facing companies that develop and license original designs. Clearer co-ownership provisions, in particular, are expected to ease collaboration between firms, research institutions and universities.
The measures also reflect a broader policy emphasis on intellectual property as a driver of innovation rather than solely a defensive tool, positioning stronger protections as an engine for growth in the domestic chip industry.
The revised regulations take effect in October, giving companies and enforcement bodies several months to prepare for the new framework. Analysts suggest the changes could bolster confidence among domestic designers seeking to expand their portfolios amid continued external pressure on China’s access to advanced technology.