Allegations of intellectual property theft by China

China is regularly accused by the United States and several other nations of state-organized economic espionage and theft of intellectual property, in violation of international trade agreements. The espionage and theft would not be limited to business, but also include academia and government. The Ministry of State Security (MSS), united front groups, and their affiliates have been reported as frequent perpetrators of such theft. China has repeatedly and vigorously denied the allegations, stating that Western companies willingly transfer technology to get access to China's market. China however also state they are taking steps to address the concerns. In 2019, China banned forced technology transfers via the Foreign Investment Law.^: 108