China steps up protection for chip designs in revised regulations

A Chinese flag is displayed next to a printed circuit board with semiconductor chips on Feb 17, 2023. (Image: Reuters/Florence Lo) 03 Aug 2026 07:00PM BEIJING: China has revised regulations protecting integrated-circuit layout designs, tightening registration standards and allowing punitive damages for serious infringement, as Beijing seeks to better safeguard domestic chip know-how.The revised regulations, signed by Premier Li Qiang on Jul 23, will take effect on Oct 15, the Justice Ministry and China National Intellectual Property Administration said in a document published by state news agency Xinhua on Monday (Aug 3).The rules cover detailed layouts that determine how components are arranged within a chip, designs that can reflect substantial engineering work and are central to semicon