An exhibition featuring Labubu is held in Beijing on June 18 , 2025. Photo: VCG

In the first half of 2025, China's General Administration of Customs (GAC) intensified a crackdown on intellectual property (IP) rights violations while supporting innovation, seizing 11,000 batches of suspected counterfeit goods totaling 38.68 million items — including fake versions of the internationally popular Labubu figures, according to data released at a press conference on Monday.

At the press conference in Beijing, GAC deputy administrator Wang Lingjun noted that a key indicator of authenticity lies in the figure's teeth. Genuine Labubu toys feature nine sharp teeth, while counterfeits often have one or two fewer due to mold inaccuracies.

A series of posts titled "Customs vs. Fake Labubu," published by the GAC on its WeChat account, quickly went viral, drawing widespread public attention to one of the agency's core responsibilities: enforcing IP protection at the borders.

Labubu, a toothy, fluffy figure toy from Chinese brand Pop Mart, has become a global sensation, showing how Chinese enterprises are reshaping their international image through innovation, cultural storytelling and the globalization of homegrown IP.

Recently, Shanghai Customs seized more than 5,000 fake Labubu blind box figures bearing the POP MART trademark, according to an official statement posted on the agency's WeChat account.

Meanwhile, on Friday, the Haicang Customs under Xiamen Customs in East China's Fujian Province seized 37,000 plastic products suspected of IP infringement, bearing unauthorized Labubu and Minions designs. 

Under China's Customs Law, customs officers are authorized to take proactive enforcement actions or respond to rights holders' requests to inspect and detain suspected infringing goods during import and export procedures, with the aim of combating IP violations and fostering innovation, according to the GAC.

Labubu's growing popularity offers a glimpse into the broader global rise of Chinese designer toys. 

China exported dolls and animal toys worth 13.31 billion yuan ($1.85 billion) in the first four months of this year, up 9.6 percent year-on-year, customs said on Monday.
Balancing innovation and protection is essential to the development of China's designer toy industry, enabling a virtuous cycle of creativity and reward, Wang Peng, an associate research fellow at the Beijing Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Monday. This balance strengthens the sector's resilience at home and boosts the global recognition and influence of "Designed in China." 

Driven by both innovation and IP protection, the industry advances through coordinated efforts in law, branding, technology, market expansion, and cultural expression, paving the way for high-end, branded, and international growth and positioning itself as a key platform for global cultural innovation, according to Wang.

Global Times