Beijing courts are urged to strengthen research on intellectual property issues tied to cutting-edge technologies and key industries such as artificial intelligence and biomedicine, aiming to ensure greater expertise in handling related cases.

The directive is part of a legal guideline issued by the Beijing High People's Court on Wednesday, focusing on bolstering IP protection to support the development of new quality productive forces.

During the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) period, courts in the capital are required to prioritize sectors including AI and biomedicine. They are also tasked with applying legal frameworks covering patents, trademarks, trade secrets and software copyrights to build a judicial protection system aligned with the innovation needs of these industries, the guideline said.

Judges across the city are encouraged to conduct in-depth research on legal issues in emerging fields, particularly AI, to accelerate the development of adjudication rules suited to technological innovation and industrial demand.

The guideline also calls for precise application of punitive damages in IP disputes involving emerging sectors and highlights a stronger role for technical investigators and experts in assessments and analysis.

Zhang Xiaojin, chief judge of the high court's third civil division, underscored the importance of implementing the guideline.

"It intensifies legal support in high-tech and cutting-edge areas and promotes a judicial approach that combines technical standards with development," she said.

"It also aims to enhance cooperation with administrative bodies, improve the quality of handling IP cases, and serve high-level openness," she added.

Data released by the high court on Wednesday showed that courts across Beijing concluded 64,960 IP disputes in 2025, including 9,963 cases related to the digital economy, such as data property, AI and internet platforms.

Since 2015, a total of 306 technical investigators have participated in identifying and analyzing technical issues in more than 4,500 IP cases.

Beijing courts also concluded 7,686 IP disputes involving foreign entities, as well as cases related to Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, in 2025, according to the data.