Trademark strategies

The State Administration for Industry and Commerce reported that the 2009 national trademark strategy implementation work in model cities (or districts) and enterprises is now under way, and that qualified cities and enterprises can submit related materials to local industrial and commercial bureaus.

The State agency said the goal is to summarize experience, share information and initiate mutual promotions to enhance trademark strategy implementation.

The model enterprises should own independent registered trademarks that have been authorized by the Administration for Industry and Commerce and Trademark Appraisement Committee

The sale of products and services with independent trademarks should account for 80 percent of total sales by the enterprises, which must have no record of infringing other people's trademarks or intellectual property rights.

Special festival

The 2009 China International Trademark Festival was held recently in Qingdao city in Shandong province.

The trademark festival attracted more than 70 participants from 20 countries, districts and international organizations.

The four-day festival featured a series of events including the China Trademark Annual Meeting, a Domestic and Foreign Trademark Agency Development Forum, a China Trademark Contest, the Agricultural Product and Geographic Indication Exhibition and China Trademark Festival Presentation Party.

The festival showcased industry standards and challenges, according to the festival organizer.

IP as loan collateral

China has launched a national pilot project to provide loans to companies that are eligible to post intellectual property (IP) such as patents as collateral.

At a ceremony in Guangzhou, the capital of southern Guangdong province, six Chinese lenders, including representatives of Industrial and Commercial Bank of China and China Construction Bank, signed agreements or letters of intent worth 1.308 billion yuan in loans to 18 enterprises.

The State Intellectual Property Office (SIPO) will launch similar projects in cit Beijing, Shanghai and other cities, said Ma Weiye, director of the SIPO patent management department.

Previously, banks in China offered mortgage loans mainly based on tangible assets such as factories and equipment, making it difficult for technology-based enterprises to obtain financial support from banks.

Copyright lawsuit

The sports brand Puma is suing the Chinese shoe chain Zhongta for copyright infringement in Beijing No 1 Intermediate Court and asking for 500,000 yuan in compensation.

Puma claimed that five of Zhongta's shops in Beijing sold shoes with trademarks similar to the Puma trademark.

Zhongta's response was that the trademarks were different and did not infringe on Puma's brand. A verdict is pending.

A 'name change' case

To protect its "Founder Yihe" trademark, Founder Group has filed a lawsuit against Founder Technology Group Corp asking that Founder Tech change its name and pay Founder Group 500,000 yuan.

A court ruled in favor of Founder Group, requiring Founder Tech to change its name, stop using the "Founder Yihe" trademark and pay Founder 40,000 yuan.

Founder Group reported that it had been using the "Founder Yihe" name since 1997 and registered the trademark for related computer products in 1998.

Founder Tech (founded in 1999) stated that it used "Founder Yihe" in the company's name, as the trade name and also on its products.

The court ruled that Founder Group registered "Founder Yihe" earlier than Founder Tech. Neither company commented on the court's ruling.

(Source: China Daily)