In China, the first-to-file principle applies: the first person or company to register a trademark becomes the owner of the trademark. One of the biggest problems of foreign companies is trademark registration in bad faith: usually Chinese companies deliberately register the trademark(s) of a foreign company in order to make a profit from its use… Continue reading Blue Sky Project: Strict Monitoring the Trademark Agencies
Category: Patents
The Great Wall of Patents: Decoupling Strengthens China’s IP Regime
China’s 14th five-year plan sets clear signals: Beijing will continue to decouple itself from the Western world, especially from the USA, and become more autonomous in many areas. Imports and supplies from abroad will be reduced, the domestic market strengthened and its own companies protected and promoted – also abroad. The concept of dual circulation,… Continue reading The Great Wall of Patents: Decoupling Strengthens China’s IP Regime
Patent Protection for AI in China: New Guidelines and References
The number of Chinese patent applications in the field of artificial intelligence is growing rapidly – the bottom line is that companies based in China have filed more than 440,000 AI patents by October 2019. Applicants are mostly large companies such as Baidu, Alibaba, Tencent, Inspur and Huawei as well as universities or research centers,… Continue reading Patent Protection for AI in China: New Guidelines and References
Counterfeiting in China: Platform Operators Must Demonstrate Measures
When fighting counterfeiting against online shops, it is often difficult for brand owners in China to identify the manufacturer of the counterfeits and to prosecute him legally. Therefore, the platform operator should also be sued in the lawsuit if he violates legal obligations. According to the Chinese E-commerce Law, the owner of intellectual property right… Continue reading Counterfeiting in China: Platform Operators Must Demonstrate Measures
The Great Era of Innovation: China Invests in New Infrastructure
In order to boost the economy after Covid-19 and be able to grow again in the short term, China is relying on massive investments in innovative infrastructure projects. In the great era of innovation, the focus is on 7 areas: the construction of 5G base stations, ultra-high voltage, high-speed trains and light rail, charging stations… Continue reading The Great Era of Innovation: China Invests in New Infrastructure
Secure Corona Loans with Trademarks and Patents
In China, companies that need short-term liquidity to secure business during and after Covid-19 can easily secure a loan by pledging their intellectual property. Although this method is not new, it is gaining in importance in the crisis. According to the Chinese National Intellectual Property Administration, the total amount of financing through patent and trademark… Continue reading Secure Corona Loans with Trademarks and Patents
IP Databases Reduce Costs of Infringement Proceedings
COVID-19 also leads to companies paying closer attention to costs when enforcing their intellectual property rights in China. IP databases can help them do this. The analysis of Chinese court decisions in comparable cases enables IP managers and their service providers to correctly assess the case and the opponent and to find the right strategy.… Continue reading IP Databases Reduce Costs of Infringement Proceedings
China Loses the Battle for the WIPO Chairmanship
China has lost the battle for the chairmanship of the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), the UN organization regulating the international protection of intellectual property in Geneva. The new Director General will be Daren Tang, previously Chief Executive Officer of the Intellectual Property Office in Singapore (IPOS). The decision against the Chinese candidate Wang Binying,… Continue reading China Loses the Battle for the WIPO Chairmanship
Extension of the Patent Term: A Driver for Innovation
The trade agreement between the USA and China provides for the extension of the patent term of innovative medical devices to avoid undue delays. This is to the benefit of pharmaceutical companies in both countries. The contractual clause not only supports pharmaceutical manufacturers from the USA, it also benefits innovative Chinese pharmaceutical companies. These companies… Continue reading Extension of the Patent Term: A Driver for Innovation
Intellectual Property in China: More, Faster and Better
The China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) has presented the registration figures for 2019. Foreign applications of intellectual property in China increased again last year. In 2019, the number of patent applications of inventions filed by foreign applicants reached 157,000, an increase of 6% over the previous year. The number of foreign trademark applications rose… Continue reading Intellectual Property in China: More, Faster and Better
