Cui Ning

The Trademark Administration has upped the intensity of its checks into possible trademark violations, especially infringements of famous trademarks, China Daily learned from the State Administration of Industry and Commerce (SAIC).

Their efforts focus mainly on Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Sichuan, Anhui, Shaanxi, Henan and Shandong provinces, and the Xinjiang Uygur and Inner Mongolia autonomous regions.

Over the past three months, authorities have closed down 486 places of business which sell fake products, and cracked down on 2,162 cases of trademark violations. Some 194 of the 2,162 cases are related to foreign trademarks.

The Ningbo Industrial and Commercial Administration in East China's Zhejiang Province has halted operations in several cases of infringing on Panasonic and Bosch trademarks. Local companies that make counterfeit products with these famous trademarks have been required to shut down and fined 400,000 yuan (US$48,190).

The Beijing Industrial and Commercial Administration has circulated a notice, saying that all garment retailers and small shops are not allowed to sell famous trademark products, such as Prada, Burberry, Louis Vuitton, Givenchy, Chanel, Fendi and other foreign famous brands, unless they are authorized by the companies.

Those who continue to sell products with the above brands will be regarded as trademark violators and punished, according to the notice.

In Shanghai, authorities have cracked down on a particular spot near Pudong New Area which sells fake watches labelled as Rolex, Omega, Rado and Longines. Some 2,274 fake watches with the above labels have been seized.

Sources from the Trademark Department of State Administration of Industry and Commerce said the trademark administration will be made more transparent giving the public access to it via the Internet by the end of the year.

The administration will collect opinions and suggestions for fighting fake products and protecting trademarks from foreign investors so as to better protect their interests.

In the next few months, the administration will enhance trademark protection for food products and drugs which are closely related to people's health and safety.

Any operations that violate foreign trademarks, famous brands, geographic identifications, or illegally print and sell faked packing, labels and trademarks, will be seriously punished.

Tianjin Municipality, Zhejiang, Fujian and Guangdong provinces have been listed as target areas to prevent cases of faked packaging and trademarks, where the practice is rampant.

The administration will amend its Regulations on Trademark Administrative Enforcement late this year, to further guide regional industrial and commercial administrations to supervise trademark protection.

Big trademark violation cases will be disclosed through the media to warn violators.

The administration calls on regional watchdogs to tighten management on trademark protection in line with the Trademark Law - to confiscate all goods which infringe trademarks and instruments for making copied products; to harshly punish violators who have made a negative impact on society.

It also requires regional industrial and commercial administrations to work together with public security, customs and quality inspection departments, to facilitate more effective enforcement.

(China Daily 10/25/2004 page5)