Photo Source: Midea
The Hangzhou Intermediate People’s Court will hear on Friday the fourth patent infringement lawsuit filed by Midea against Xiaomi, as the two electronics giants shift from partners to rivals in China’s fiercely competitive smart home appliance market.
The Hangzhou Intermediate People’s Court is scheduled to hear case No. (2025) Zhe 01 Zhi Min Chu 91 on April 10, according to court dockets updated on April 5. The lawsuit was filed by Guangdong Midea Air-Conditioning Equipment Co., Ltd. against Beijing Xiaomi Electronics Co., Ltd., Xiaomi Technology Co., Ltd., Xiaomi Communications Co., Ltd., and e-commerce platform Zhejiang Tmall Network Co., Ltd.
The first three other cases — Nos. 88, 89, and 90 — were all filed in August 2025 and were heard on March 9, 2026. Combined damages sought in those cases total RMB 65 million, with RMB 10 million, RMB 50 million and RMB 5 million claimed respectively, according to a Chinese intellectual property database. The specific damages sought in the fourth case have not yet been disclosed.
Beyond the infringement suits, Midea has launched an attack on the validity of Xiaomi’s patents. Between September and October 2025, Midea, through its subsidiary Midea Smart Technology Co., Ltd., filed invalidation requests with the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) against two Xiaomi invention patents: ZL201410112307.0, titled “Smart Home Appliance Control Method, Device and Terminal,” and ZL201510595907.1. An oral hearing for the first patent was held on November 26, 2025. The CNIPA has yet to issue final decisions on either request.
The legal offensive marks a dramatic turn in the relationship between the two companies. In 2015, Midea Group invested RMB 1.273 billion in Xiaomi. Following Xiaomi’s IPO, Midea gradually reduced its holdings, cashing out nearly RMB 2 billion. In March 2025, Midea disclosed in its 2024 annual report that it had sold its remaining RMB 902 million stake in Xiaomi, completely liquidating its position. The divestment came just months before Midea filed its patent suits in August 2025.
The tension reflects Xiaomi's rapid expansion into home appliances, traditionally dominated by Midea, Gree and Haier. Xiaomi's air conditioner shipments surged from 1.1 million units in 2020 to 6.8 million units in 2024, making it the country's fourth-largest brand, according to industry data.
Xiaomi, for its part, is defending on multiple fronts. The company is simultaneously engaged in patent disputes with China’s traditional home appliance giants.
In June 2024, China's Supreme People's Court found that a Xiaomi-branded tower fan infringed Gree's patents and awarded RMB 1.85 million in damages. The defendant was Dream Maker (Zhejiang) Technology Co., in which a Xiaomi subsidiary holds an 8.04% stake, as disclosed by Gree.
In a separate dispute, Xiaomi invalidated a Haier washing machine patent in October 2023 and counter-sued Haier in March 2024. Most recently, the CNIPA disclosed on March 9 and 12, 2026, that Xiaomi has filed four invalidation requests against three Aux air conditioner patents, with oral hearings scheduled between April 15 and May 14, 2026.
