Negotiating international trade agreements with the purpose of limiting the flow of information by means of "IP" is the very definition of protectionism.
Mutual IP agreements are not protectionism just an equal playing field. Protecting domestic companies, but not foreign ones on the other hand is the definition of protectionism.
PS: Abolishing IP would also be a level playing field, but again that's not what they are doing.
If you think China's IP practices are intended to create an equal playing field, you're more than just a little bit naive.
Also mostly Chinese domestic companies' protectionism is about the same thing as the European version of the same is : getting enough Chinese people jobs so they don't revolt.
