China’s State Council Releases 2026 Legislative Work Plan – IP/AI in Focus
Published 12 May 2026
Yu Du
On 12 May 2026, China’s State Council released the 2026 Legislative Work Plan, outlining the central government’s key legislative priorities for the year ahead.
The plan comes at the beginning of China’s “15th Five-Year Plan” period and reflects the government’s broader policy focus on economic modernization, technological self-reliance, national security, digital governance, and high-quality development. The document identifies legislative projects that will be submitted to the National People’s Congress Standing Committee, administrative regulations to be formulated or amended, and a number of reserve legislative initiatives that may be accelerated depending on policy needs.
Key Legislative Priorities
The 2026 plan covers a wide range of areas, including financial regulation, artificial intelligence, data governance, public safety, market regulation, foreign investment, environmental protection, and national security. Among the more notable projects are draft laws or amendments relating to:
Financial Law Telecommunications Law Artificial intelligence governance Data and algorithm regulation Cybersecurity and network crime prevention Foreign investment and supply chain security Food safety and product quality National unified market regulation E-commerce and online platform supervision
The plan also emphasizes the use of “small and fast” legislative mechanisms, allowing regulators to respond more quickly to emerging technologies and market developments.
Intellectual Property-Related Legislative Developments
For the intellectual property sector, the 2026 Legislative Work Plan signals continued regulatory activity across several important areas.
1. Integrated Circuit Layout Design Protection Regulations
China plans to revise the Regulations on the Protection of Layout Designs of Integrated Circuits.
This is particularly significant in light of China’s continued push for semiconductor self-sufficiency and advanced manufacturing capabilities. The amendment may address issues relating to protection scope, enforcement mechanisms, registration procedures, and alignment with current semiconductor industry practices.
2. Copyright-Related Amendments
China also plans preparatory work for revisions to the Implementing Regulations of the Copyright Law.
Although still at the reserve-project stage, these amendments may become increasingly important as China continues refining copyright protection standards for digital content, AI-generated materials, online platforms, and cross-border dissemination of works.
3. Internet Information Services and Platform Governance
The proposed revision to the Measures for the Administration of Internet Information Services and planned regulations on online transaction platforms may also have indirect but substantial implications for IP enforcement in the digital environment.
These rules could influence intermediary liability standards, platform compliance obligations, online infringement handling procedures, and data governance requirements relevant to trademark, copyright, and unfair competition disputes.
4. Artificial Intelligence and Data Governance
While the plan does not yet introduce a standalone AI law, it expressly states that China will accelerate comprehensive legislation relating to artificial intelligence governance and improve rules concerning data, algorithms, computing power, intellectual property, cybersecurity, and supply chain security.
This area will likely become increasingly relevant for patent strategy, AI-generated content ownership, licensing models, training data compliance, and technology transfer issues.
Comment
The 2026 Legislative Work Plan confirms that China continues to move toward a more detailed and technology-focused regulatory framework. For businesses operating in innovation-driven sectors, the direction is clear: intellectual property law in China is becoming more closely connected with industrial policy, cybersecurity, data regulation, and platform governance.
For IP owners, technology companies, and foreign investors, several of the proposed reforms, particularly those involving semiconductors, AI, online platforms, and traditional knowledge protection, may lead to new compliance obligations as well as new opportunities for rights protection and commercialization.
The plan comes at the beginning of China’s “15th Five-Year Plan” period and reflects the government’s broader policy focus on economic modernization, technological self-reliance, national security, digital governance, and high-quality development. The document identifies legislative projects that will be submitted to the National People’s Congress Standing Committee, administrative regulations to be formulated or amended, and a number of reserve legislative initiatives that may be accelerated depending on policy needs.
Key Legislative Priorities
The 2026 plan covers a wide range of areas, including financial regulation, artificial intelligence, data governance, public safety, market regulation, foreign investment, environmental protection, and national security. Among the more notable projects are draft laws or amendments relating to:
Financial Law Telecommunications Law Artificial intelligence governance Data and algorithm regulation Cybersecurity and network crime prevention Foreign investment and supply chain security Food safety and product quality National unified market regulation E-commerce and online platform supervision
The plan also emphasizes the use of “small and fast” legislative mechanisms, allowing regulators to respond more quickly to emerging technologies and market developments.
Intellectual Property-Related Legislative Developments
For the intellectual property sector, the 2026 Legislative Work Plan signals continued regulatory activity across several important areas.
1. Integrated Circuit Layout Design Protection Regulations
China plans to revise the Regulations on the Protection of Layout Designs of Integrated Circuits.
This is particularly significant in light of China’s continued push for semiconductor self-sufficiency and advanced manufacturing capabilities. The amendment may address issues relating to protection scope, enforcement mechanisms, registration procedures, and alignment with current semiconductor industry practices.
2. Copyright-Related Amendments
China also plans preparatory work for revisions to the Implementing Regulations of the Copyright Law.
Although still at the reserve-project stage, these amendments may become increasingly important as China continues refining copyright protection standards for digital content, AI-generated materials, online platforms, and cross-border dissemination of works.
3. Internet Information Services and Platform Governance
The proposed revision to the Measures for the Administration of Internet Information Services and planned regulations on online transaction platforms may also have indirect but substantial implications for IP enforcement in the digital environment.
These rules could influence intermediary liability standards, platform compliance obligations, online infringement handling procedures, and data governance requirements relevant to trademark, copyright, and unfair competition disputes.
4. Artificial Intelligence and Data Governance
While the plan does not yet introduce a standalone AI law, it expressly states that China will accelerate comprehensive legislation relating to artificial intelligence governance and improve rules concerning data, algorithms, computing power, intellectual property, cybersecurity, and supply chain security.
This area will likely become increasingly relevant for patent strategy, AI-generated content ownership, licensing models, training data compliance, and technology transfer issues.
Comment
The 2026 Legislative Work Plan confirms that China continues to move toward a more detailed and technology-focused regulatory framework. For businesses operating in innovation-driven sectors, the direction is clear: intellectual property law in China is becoming more closely connected with industrial policy, cybersecurity, data regulation, and platform governance.
For IP owners, technology companies, and foreign investors, several of the proposed reforms, particularly those involving semiconductors, AI, online platforms, and traditional knowledge protection, may lead to new compliance obligations as well as new opportunities for rights protection and commercialization.