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Ann Cao

China has revised regulations on the protection of chip design, a critical move to push for tech self-sufficiency amid US export controls.
Premier Li Qiang signed a State Council decree to promulgate the revised rules on the protection of layout designs of integrated circuits, Xinhua reported on Monday. The new rules will take effect on October 15.
The revision clarified financial penalties for infringement as well as licensing, transfer and co-ownership rights, aiming to accelerate the commercialisation of new chip designs.
Chip design serves as the blueprint for the entire semiconductor value chain. While domestic chip manufacturing remains constrained by US restrictions on the import of advanced equipment, mastering chip design enables Chinese firms to innovate around bottlenecks through custom architectures, such as specialised hardware-software co-design strategy that Huawei Technologies is betting on.
The legal update comes as Beijing accelerates its pursuit of tech self-reliance under the 15th five-year plan unveiled in March.
It calls for efforts to “refine and strengthen mature-node processes, enhance capabilities in advanced process technologies, accelerate development of key equipment, materials and components, and advance high-performance processors and high-density memory”.
Combined with energy infrastructure, computing power and various artificial intelligence initiatives, the plan outlines a broad strategy spanning the AI ecosystem – from infrastructure and software to applications and governance.
Li has been a central architect of this strategy. He declared in March that semiconductors must be developed into a foundational pillar of China’s emerging industries.
He has toured semiconductor and tech start-ups over the past few years, including top memory chipmaker Yangtze Memory Technologies Corp, chip equipment maker Naura Technology Group and chip design tool maker Semitronix, urging them to step up development of core technologies and pledging increased government support to explore new tracks for industrial development.


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Revised rules sharpen penalties and expand rights, underscoring Beijing’s strategy to build resilience across semiconductor and AI ecosystem


Revised rules sharpen penalties and expand rights, underscoring Beijing’s strategy to build resilience across semiconductor and AI ecosystem.


China tightens chip-design protection and clarifies rights to spur innovation

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Revised rules sharpen penalties and expand rights, underscoring Beijing’s strategy to build resilience across semiconductor and AI ecosystem

Revised rules sharpen penalties and expand rights, underscoring Beijing’s strategy to build resilience across semiconductor and AI ecosystem