Patents a deadly weapon in export war Mainland companies must build intellectual property to guard against lawsuits.

(From South China Morning Post)

Byline: Stuart Biggs

Mainland firms such as Actions Semiconductor, the Zhuhai-based firm on the receiving end of a legal offensive by SigmaTel, are learning the hard way that a wide portfolio of patented intellectual property is as much a tool for squeezing out competition as a source of lucrative royalties, according to a Hong Kong law firm.

The surge of mainland exports to the United States and the rest of the world has intensified competition for global market share, with the minefield of intellectual property law emerging as a key battleground.

"US companies are not going to let Chinese manufacturers swamp …