Recently, the Intellectual Property Court of the Supreme People's Court of China officially released its annual work report for 2025. As a summary marking the seventh anniversary of the operation of China's mechanism for hearing appeals in technology-related intellectual property cases, the Report comprehensively reviews the judicial practices and rule evolution over the past year in areas such as incentivizing technological innovation, safeguarding fair competition, and serving high-level opening-up.
In this authoritative report, which serves as a bellwether for China's IP adjudication, two cases handled by Sunshine IP were cited as exemplars of judicial practice. This recognition not only affirms the professional logic applied in these cases but also reflects our company's professional contribution, as an agency, in collaborating with judicial authorities to refine adjudicative rules and effectively resolve disputes.
Deep Integration of Technical Logic and Judicial Resolve
In Part One of the Report, titled "Closely Aligning with National Strategy to Safeguard Technological Innovation", the administrative dispute case concerning the invalidation of the patent for a "Fixed Grate Pre-combustion Furnace" [Case No. (2024) Zui Gao Fa Zhi Xing Zhong No. 870], handled by Sunshine IP, was cited.
This case focused on the core issue of assessing "inventive step" during patent validity confirmation proceedings. In the Report, the Supreme People's Court of China reiterated that inventive step review should be conducted from the perspective of a person skilled in the art to understand the patented technology and the prior art, avoiding rigid, literal interpretations and identifications of technical features.
By reconstructing the rigorous engineering technical logic, Sunshine IP assisted the court in returning to the essence of the technology, successfully overturning the previous first-instance judgment and restoring the administrative authority's determination that the patent was invalid. The inclusion of this case in the Report signals that judicial adjudication, by accurately evaluating the substantive contributions of inventions, is sending a strong message of "genuine protection for genuine innovation", thereby solidifying the legal foundation for the healthy development of "new quality productive forces".
A Vivid Application of the "Fengqiao Model" in the IP Field
In Part Two of the Report, titled "Effectively Resolving Disputes to Promote Integrated Development Through Substantive Case Resolution", the infringement case involving a "Novel Wooden Cutlery Hot Press Molding Machine" [Case No. (2025) Zui Gao Fa Zhi Min Zhong No. 385], handled by Sunshine IP, was cited as a model of "circuit trial".
This case involved not merely legal arguments but also dispute resolution imbued with judicial "warmth". The Supreme People’s Court of China, through a circuit trial conducted deep within a township enterprise, facilitated a reconciliation between the parties on the spot. Sunshine IP's lawyers played a professional liaison role in assisting the court to clarify the case facts and guiding both parties to balance innovation protection with industrial sustainability.
The Report pointed out that the substantive resolution of this case successfully preserved the employment opportunities of numerous rural women in the local area and the livelihoods of thousands of families, fully demonstrating the social effect of IP judicial services supporting the private economy and promoting coordinated regional development. This shift from "paper judgments" to "substantive dispute resolution" is a profound reflection of the "Fengqiao Model" for the new era within the field of IP protection.
Honoring the Rule of Law with Professionalism, Bridging Innovation with Practical Expertise
These two cases—one concerning the "legal expression of technical logic" and the other reflecting the "social value of judicial warmth"—have been incorporated into the Report, reflecting the practical achievements of Sunshine IP's long-standing commitment to deeply exploring the essence of technology and seeking optimal legal solutions in its agency work.
In an era of continuously strengthened intellectual property protection and ever-improving trial quality and efficiency, law firms and agencies are no longer merely executors of legal procedures but also drivers of the evolution of rules. By delving into the technical substance and aligning with judicial standards, Sunshine IP transforms cases into precise annotations of industry rules.
As the conclusion of the Report states: Advancing with “Innovation”, Reaching Far with “Quality". On the journey toward a modernized powerful country under the Chinese model, Sunshine IP will continue to work alongside all peers to support China's IP judicial protection efforts in reaching new heights with objective, fair, and profound professional expertise.
