Innovation’s false spring: U.S. export controls and Chinese patent quality

Yankun Kang, Xin Ma, Mi Xie and Ninghua Zhong

Journal of International Money and Finance, 2025, vol. 150, issue C

Abstract: This paper evaluates the effect of U.S. export restrictions, enacted in 2018, on China’s patent production. An analysis of patent-level datasets indicates a significant surge in Chinese patent filings in sanctioned technological domains. This quantitative growth, however, is accompanied by a decrease in patent quality, evidenced by reduced citation counts and market worth. Specifically, state-owned enterprises (SOEs) have witnessed a substantial rise in patent filings post-2018, while private firms exhibit a more modest increase. Despite the surge in patent quantity, the overall quality of patents—particularly those originating from SOEs—has deteriorated significantly. This study contributes to the body of research concerning the economic consequences of the US-China trade dispute and offers original insights into the implications of trade sanctions on innovation quality.

Keywords: Sanctions; Chinese patents output; Innovation quality (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: F13 O31 O34 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:jimfin:v:150:y:2025:i:c:s026156062400216x

DOI: 10.1016/j.jimonfin.2024.103229

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