“Intellectual property (IP) is no longer a problem in China,” says Philippe Snel, a lawyer by trade and the president of the Shanghai French School.

As a Belgian expat living in Shanghai for nearly 20 years, Philippe has seen the education in China is of absolutely incredible quality and witnessed China’s IP landscape transitioning from difficult to meeting international standards.

“We have to say that very very clearly and we have to say it loud. IP is not a problem in China anymore if you do it right,” he says. “And we see in general a lot of things are more and more subject to the rule of law and I think that’s in the interest of everyone.”