Tag Archives: China

Champagne or sparkling wine? Geographical Indications in China

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GI imageWhat is a Geographical Indication (GI)?

“Champagne”, “Bordeaux”, “Parma ham”, “Parmesan”. Each of these products, associated with certain regions, are renowned and trusted for their nature, quality and authenticity. As a consumer, you are probably more familiar with “Scotch”, “Cognac” and “Bavarian beer” than unnamed brands claiming to use the same ingredients. A GI is therefore a labelling that identifies a good as originating in a specific territory, region or locality, where characteristics of the good are associated with its place of origin.[1] Continue reading “Champagne or sparkling wine? Geographical Indications in China” »

Marking Your Territory: Choosing a Trade Mark in China

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BRAND on price labelsSeveral weeks ago, New Balance Trading (China) – the Chinese affiliate of US sports footwear brand, New Balance – was ordered by a Guangzhou court to pay RMB98 million in compensation (equivalent to approximately EUR14.3 million), and to publicly apologise to Chinese businessman, Mr Yuelin Zhou, for trademark infringement. The trade mark in question was “新百伦”, or “Xin Bai Lun”, a Chinese transliteration of “New Balance”. This case serves as a sharp reminder of how vital it is for foreign brands to register a Chinese trade mark in China, and how cutting corners may result in high financial penalties later down the line. Continue reading “Marking Your Territory: Choosing a Trade Mark in China” »

E-commerce Law in the works

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creative picture3The internet has become a popular and easy channel for product distribution around the world. It has created a marketplace of more than half a billion users in China, more than a third of the world’s total online population, and is still expanding. Apart from being a forum for legitimate vendors and original products, the internet is also used by businesses as a platform for the distribution of counterfeit goods which infringe intellectual property rights (IPR).

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How To Protect Trade Secrets when Meeting Potential Partners

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Trade secrets are a valuable and highly useful form of intellectual property right and Coca-Cola is testament to this. They are the global leader in the beverage industry, and it is no wonder that the secret for the formula of the most popular soft drink in America is valued at millions of dollars.
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Another Year on Top for China as the Highest Recipient of Patent Applications Globally

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patentThe much awaited patent application list for 2014 has been released and China is again in poll position, the experts said the World’s second largest economy lacked competitive edge, but for the 4th consecutive year China is the highest recipient of requests for patents globally. Continue reading “Another Year on Top for China as the Highest Recipient of Patent Applications Globally” »