Introduction

Abstract

This book analyses how China has engaged in global IP governance and the implications of its engagement for global distributive justice. This first chapter sets the scene for this book. It starts with the controversies surrounding China’s IP issues, which are further problematised by a review of the history of global IP governance. It further analyses how an IP system would operate, be justified or constrained under different principles of distributive justice, setting the foundation to observe their interactions in the case studies. The history of Chinese domestic IP regulation further provides specific social, economic, and cultural contexts for China’s global IP engagement. It ends with discussing the arrangement of this book, including its structure, case selection, analytical framework, and key findings.