Verify Us · Built from China-side IP experience
Built from China IP Practice.
Structured for International Clients.
Peter Lin's work across Foxconn, Tencent, Midea, and OpenPTO shaped a practical view of how intellectual property actually works in China — not only in filing, but in product risk, market entry, brand protection, enforcement, and cross-border execution. China IP Gateway was built to make that experience more accessible to international companies entering China.
Experience line
Foxconn → Tencent → Midea → OpenPTO
Peter Lin — Founder & Principal, China IP Gateway
Our Core Working Structure
Our structure is not a single brand operating from a single office. It is a deliberately built set of functional layers — each with a distinct role.
Peter Lin
Founder & Principal
Qualified Chinese patent attorney and trademark agent with an engineering background. Clients communicate directly with Peter — he designs the strategy, runs the relationship, and makes execution judgment calls.
China IP Gateway
International-facing brand
The English-language brand through which international clients engage. Entry point for communication, service scoping, and matter management. References to 'OpenPTO Hong Kong' in materials mean the same underlying structure.
OpenPTO Hong Kong
Registered cross-border entity
OpenPTO (Hong Kong) Co., Limited is the formally registered entity referenced in client agreements and business operations. Verifiable through the Hong Kong Companies Registry.
Zhiquan (智圈)
China-side licensed IP agency
The China-side licensed IP agency responsible for regulated patent and trademark filing and prosecution before CNIPA. China's IP system requires this function be performed by a licensed entity — Zhiquan is that entity.
What Each Part of Our Structure Does
Distinct layers. Distinct functions. Each one exists for a reason.
Peter Lin — Founder & Principal
Strategy · Client communication · Matter coordination
Peter Lin is the founder of China IP Gateway and OpenPTO Hong Kong. He is a qualified Chinese patent attorney and trademark agent with an engineering background in electronics and communications. Clients work directly with Peter — not through a sales layer. He designs strategy, runs the client relationship, and makes execution judgment calls. His qualifications are verifiable through official Chinese IP authority channels.
China IP Gateway
International client interface · Brand · Communication channel
The English-language brand through which international clients engage our services — the entry point for contact, service scoping, educational content, and ongoing communication. It is not a separate legal entity from OpenPTO Hong Kong; it is the international-facing brand operated under the same structure. If you see both names in materials, they refer to the same team.
OpenPTO Hong Kong
Registered cross-border entity · Client agreements · Business operations
OpenPTO (Hong Kong) Co., Limited is the formally registered entity referenced in client agreements, invoices, and cross-border business operations. It is not a shell — it is the operational entity through which the structure functions for international-facing work. Its registration is verifiable through the Hong Kong Companies Registry.
Zhiquan (智圈)
China-side licensed IP agency · Regulated filing and prosecution
Zhiquan is the China-side licensed IP agency handling regulated patent and trademark filing and prosecution before CNIPA. China's IP regulatory framework requires these functions be performed by a licensed, registered agency — Zhiquan is that entity. It is not an opaque subcontractor; it is a core structural component whose licensed status is verifiable through official Chinese government channels.
China-Side Structure: Officially Verifiable
Our China-side structure is not self-declared. The licensed status of Zhiquan as a registered Chinese IP agency, and Peter Lin's qualifications as a Chinese patent attorney and trademark agent, are all matters of official public record — verifiable through the relevant Chinese government and regulatory channels.
What Is Verifiable Through Official Channels
- China-side IP agency registration and certification
- Peter Lin's patent attorney and trademark attorney qualifications
- OpenPTO Hong Kong company registration
- Zhiquan's licensed status as a Chinese IP agency
- OpenPTO US LLC registration information (Atlanta, Georgia)
Reference screenshot — China-side official recordal structure
What We Handle Directly
The following matters are handled directly through our structure — not outsourced to an undisclosed third party, and not dependent on finding an external firm to execute the work.
- China trademark strategy and filing
- Chinese name strategy and registration
- Patent filing and PCT national phase entry into China
- Utility model and design patent applications
- Supplier-facing IP protection and NNN agreement structuring
- OEM and manufacturing IP contract clauses
- Patent and trademark invalidation proceedings
- Patent and trademark opposition proceedings
- Patent and trademark infringement actions in China (direct representation)
- China-side regulated IP agency / prosecution work
When We Coordinate Additional Lawyer Resources
We are transparent about the scope of our direct handling. For certain categories of work that extend beyond our core IP scope, we coordinate trusted cooperating lawyer resources — with the client's knowledge.
Trade secret litigation and complex commercial disputes
For trade secret matters and broader commercial disputes that extend beyond registered IP, we coordinate trusted cooperating lawyer resources as appropriate. This is done transparently, not as a passive referral.
Specific cross-border corporate matters
Some transactional or corporate matters that touch IP but extend beyond our core scope may involve coordinated resources depending on context and complexity.
International Professional Presence
Our engagement extends beyond China-side execution. We participate in international IP organizations and industry events — including INTA and AIPPI — staying calibrated to what international clients actually need, not just what China's IP system technically requires.
INTA
International Trademark Association — annual meeting and booth presence, reflecting active engagement with international trademark practitioners.
AIPPI
International Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property — World Congress 2024 (Hangzhou) exhibitor and participant.
Recognitions and Representative Achievements
Zhiquan has received industry recognition within China's IP sector. The following represents a sample of formal recognition received — not a marketing claim, but a citable record.
Zhiquan (智圈) — Industry Recognition
About the Recognition
Zhiquan has been recognised within China's IP agency sector for the quality and depth of its work — including trademark and patent prosecution, enforcement-related matters, and client advisory across industries.
The team
Peter Lin's work spans trademark strategy, patent prosecution, and IP enforcement across industries and international client situations.
Technical, IP, and Supply-Chain Capability
Our work is not purely legal-procedural. It is informed by technical, manufacturing, and commercial context — which is part of what distinguishes our analysis from a generic filing service.
Technical & Engineering Orientation
Peter Lin's background is in electronics and communications engineering, with formal legal training on top. This matters when reading technical patent documents, assessing prior art, and structuring claims that actually hold.
Patent and Trademark Prosecution Experience
We have extensive experience navigating China trademark prosecution — including Chinese name strategy, multi-class filings, conflict searches, opposition proceedings, and bad-faith cancellation actions.
Product, Manufacturing, and Supplier-Side Awareness
A significant portion of our clients are product companies with China-based supply chains. We understand how OEM relationships, supplier IP exposure, and manufacturing contract clauses interact with trademark and patent protection.
From IP之道 to Our Working Method
Our work reflects a methodology built over years of practice — integrating strategy, technical judgment, China-side process knowledge, and an understanding of how international clients actually encounter IP protection.
Peter Lin has articulated this philosophy in IP之道 — a published, citable book on structured China IP practice. It is a practitioner's written record of how we think about this work.
View on Douban →Douban listing — published record
IP之道 — Peter Lin
What You Can Verify
Check before you commit. Each entry below links directly to a verifiable external source.
OpenPTO
Main website — Hong Kong entity information
OpenPTO US
Atlanta, Georgia — Georgia Secretary of State business records
Zhiquan (智圈)
Licensed IP agency — izhiquan.com / CNIPA registry
IP之道 (Douban)
Published methodology book by Peter Lin — citable reference
LinkedIn — Peter Lin
Professional profile and activity record
Newsletter
China IP Gateway — practical China IP strategy
YouTube — China IP Gateway
Educational video content on China IP topics
Frequently Asked Questions
Direct answers to the questions clients most commonly ask when evaluating whether to work with us.
Are you a traditional law firm?
No. We are not a traditional full-service law firm covering all practice areas. We are a focused IP structure — built specifically around China IP strategy, patent and trademark prosecution, filing, enforcement, and related cross-border advisory work. Our scope is deliberately defined. We do not try to cover everything.
Are you a middleman?
No. International clients work directly with our structure — not through a passive intermediary. Peter Lin is engaged in the strategy and communication. China-side regulated filing work is handled by Zhiquan, which is our licensed China-side entity, not an external black box. We are transparent about how the structure works.
Why do some materials mention OpenPTO?
OpenPTO (Hong Kong) Co., Limited is the formal registered entity used in client agreements and cross-border business operations. China IP Gateway is the international-facing brand. Both refer to the same underlying structure led by Peter Lin.
Why do some materials mention Zhiquan?
Zhiquan (智圈) is the China-side licensed IP agency entity responsible for regulated filing and prosecution work within China. China's IP regulatory system requires that certain functions be performed by a licensed entity. Zhiquan holds that licensed status. It is not a third-party subcontractor — it is a core part of our structure.
What do you handle directly?
We handle China trademark strategy and filing, Chinese name registration, patent filing and PCT entry, utility model and design patent applications, supplier and manufacturing IP structuring, and patent and trademark litigation including infringement actions, invalidation, and opposition proceedings in China.
When do you coordinate cooperating lawyer resources?
For trade secret litigation and certain broader commercial disputes that extend beyond registered IP, we coordinate trusted cooperating lawyer resources as appropriate. This is done transparently — the client knows. It is not a hidden referral layer.
Why does this structure use different names?
Each name reflects a distinct functional layer: China IP Gateway is the international client brand. OpenPTO Hong Kong is the formal cross-border entity. Zhiquan is the China-side licensed agency. Peter Lin is the founder and principal. These are not aliases obscuring a single office — they are purpose-built structural components with different regulatory, jurisdictional, and functional roles.
What role does OpenPTO US play?
OpenPTO US LLC (Atlanta, Georgia) is a US-registered entity that provides additional international coordination capacity — particularly for US-related patent and trademark matters where coordination support is relevant. It is a complement to the core structure, not the primary channel for China work.
Can your team also support U.S. or overseas patent and trademark prosecution?
OpenPTO US can support coordination for certain U.S. and overseas patent and trademark prosecution matters where appropriate. This is a supplementary international coordination capability — not a replacement for the core China-side structure. Where this is relevant, we are transparent with clients about how it works.
Verify What Matters —
Then Decide with Confidence
We believe international clients should understand clearly who they are working with, how the structure works, and what can be independently verified. If what you see here feels like the right fit, we would be glad to speak with you.