China Revises Regulations on the Protection of Layout Designs of Integrated Circuits
The State Council has issued the revised Regulations on the Protection of Layout Designs of Integrated Circuits. The Regulations were signed by Premier Li Qiang on July 23, 2026, and will take effect on October 15, 2026. Based on the current text, Decree No. 842 focuses on the protection and enforcement framework for integrated circuit (IC) layout designs, rather than introducing new export controls, technology transfer requirements, or restrictions on foreign companies’ market access.
