Chinese company funds US lawsuits raising potential national security concerns

Purplevine IP, a Chinese firm headquartered in Shenzhen, is providing financial support for four intellectual property lawsuits in the United States, explicitly targeting Samsung Electronics Co. and one of its subsidiaries. This development has gained the attention of US lawmakers who are scrutinizing the involvement of foreign investments in American legal disputes. These cases revolve around technology related to earbuds, tablets, and smartphones and have been characterized as battles pitting smaller entities against industry giants, akin to the ‘David versus Goliath’ narrative. The revelation of Purplevine IP’s participation became necessary due to a directive from a federal judge in Delaware, mandating the disclosure of litigation financing in cases within his jurisdiction. It is worth noting that Purplevine’s CEO, Victor Yang, also has ties to the Chinese consumer electronics company TCL Corp.

Why does this matter?

The fact that a Chinese entity is financing litigation in the United States has raised concerns about national security and potential foreign influence. Legislation has been proposed to compel the disclosure of foreign entities funding lawsuits in US courts, with a potential prohibition on sovereign wealth funds and foreign governments engaging in such practices. Despite these concerns, some argue that apprehensions regarding national security in the realm of litigation finance may be speculative, while others view this as validation of their worries about Chinese influence in the United States.