["Asian-Pacific Economic Literature, EarlyView. ", "\nABSTRACT\nChina's economy has achieved significant growth by relying on manufacturing‐ and export‐oriented economic models. However, with the transformations in the global economic environment (particularly the increase in the complexity of trade friction and economic globalisation), news of intellectual property disputes confronted by Chinese enterprises in international markets is emerging continuously. Intellectual property has become an essential focus for Chinese enterprises participating in international competition. This study examines the impact mechanism of external intellectual property protection on China's manufacturing export trade and evaluates the comprehensive impact of foreign intellectual property protection on the scale and quality of China's manufacturing exports. The study uses relevant data on China's exports to 60 countries (regions) from 2001 to 2019 as a sample, establishes a gravity model, and empirically examines the effects of foreign intellectual property protection on the scale and product quality of China's manufacturing exports. The conclusions drawn from this study can also provide a reference for China and other developing countries to shift their manufacturing industries towards high‐quality development.\n"]