It’s the end of week 2 of our Industry Spotlight Month. We wrapped things up this week with an interview with our expert; Mr Reinout Van Malenstein discussing the core issues and considerations for companies in the ICT industry interested in entering China’s rapidly expanding technology marketplace.Continue reading “ICT IPR Podcast with our expert Reinout Van Malenstein” »
China possesses a population of over 1.3 billion people;[1] of these, there were 632 million internet users in China by the end of 2014 – this is approximately half the population of China and three times the number of internet users in South-East Asia.[2]
The share of internet users in China now equals 46.03% according to the state-administered China Internet Network Information Center (CNNIC). [3] Trends also suggest that internet use in China is set to experience further growth in coming years.
E-commerce is well developed in China today, and is predicted to account for around 10% of total retail purchases by the end of 2015, in contrast with 6 to 8% in Europe.[4] Furthermore, a study undertaken by KPMG predicts that as wealth, internet penetration, brand awareness and loyalty spread, online retail in China is also set to expand.[5]
Continue reading “No Squatting: Online IPR Protection in China” »
China’s IPR (intellectual property rights) protection system is expanding and improving, but it remains separate and distinct from the European system. Accordingly, to be successful in China your business must take preventative measures to protect your intellectual property rights; one must obtain valid IPR rights in China as a minimum first step. In other words, the protection of IPR rights should be a key part of your business strategy, whether entering or expanding operations in China.
While some IPR issues are common to all types of European companies doing business in China, others are specific to the ICT industry. The China IPR SME Helpdesk outlines appropriate patent and trade secret strategies, the type of patents particularly relevant to ICT companies and suitable IPR enforcement measures. Enforcement of IPR is discussed through a case study of an IT company that has taken enforcement actions in China.
Continue reading “Industry Spotlight: IPR in the ICT Industry” »
The intellectual property rights (IPR) available in China are very similar to those available in Europe. Assuming you have registered your IP and found it being infringed then you will want to enforce it. How might you find out your products have been infringed? Your customers might tell you about competing products, you might find infringements for sale on the internet, you might see infringing products at a trade fair etc… Continue reading “Enforcing Your Rights in China” »