Supreme People’s Court and Supreme People’s Procuratorate – Explanations of Several Issues Concerning the Specific Application of Laws in Deciding Criminal Cases Involving Infringement of …
Translation: Supreme People’s Court’s Opinions on Increasing Sanctions for Intellectual Property Infringement
Issued September 14, 2020 For the purposes of hearing cases properly, strengthening the sanctions on the infringement of intellectual property rights, effectively curbing the infringement …
The New PRC Civil Code and its Impact on IP Rights Holders
On 28 May 2020, the Thirteenth National People’s Congress of China adopted the long-awaited “Civil Code” – the most extensive and significant legislation in China’s …
Updates on the Protection of IP Rights in China: Primary Challenges, Recent Developments and Best Practices
China has long been a target of criticism for infringement of intellectual property (“IP”) rights. Over the last 20 or so years, China has not …
Reducing Infringement Risks in China following the HONDAKIT OEM Exception Decision
Due to widespread trademark piracy in the PRC, manufacturing in China without a locally-registered trademark can often incur serious risk of infringement – even where …
The Use of Civil Litigation in the PRC as an Effective Form of Dispute Resolution for IP owners
Civil litigation can prove an effective form of dispute resolution for intellectual property (“IP”) owners whose rights are violated by the notorious pirates and counterfeiters …
China’s Commitment to IP Protection is Upfront in its Economic and Trade Agreement with the US
Phase 1 of the Economic and Trade Agreement between the United States and China was released on January 15, 2020 (“the Agreement”). The eight-chapter Agreement …
Enforcement of IP Rights in China – A Primer
The impact of fakes on global trade cannot be underestimated. Statistics from the OECD and the EU’s Intellectual Property Office estimate that worldwide, trade in infringing …
US-China Phase 1 Trade Agreement – What’s in it for Trademark Owners?
On January 15, 2020, the US and China signed a “Phase 1” agreement in furtherance of efforts to resolve their ongoing trade dispute. Chapter 1 …
Recent Developments in Combating Bad Faith Trademark Piracy in China
There have been a range of new legislative developments in China attempting to tackle the widespread problem of bad faith trademark piracy, including the following: …
CCP and State Council Issue Policy Document on IP Protection
On November 24, 2019, the General Office of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CCP) and the State Council jointly issued a …
The Impact of China’s Trademark Law Amendments
On April 23, 2019, China’s National People’s Congress announced the fourth revision to the PRC Trademark Law[i], changes which come into effect on November 1, …
Prosecuting Trademarks in China: An Insider’s Guide for Foreign Brand Owners in 2019 (Part II – Appeals)
In our Insider’s Guide Part I, we shared best practice tips regarding prosecuting trademarks in China. In Part II we will discuss the appeals process, …
Recent Developments in PRC Foreign Investment Law, Cross-border Tech Transfer, and Trade Secrets Laws
March and April 2019 were whirlwinds for foreign IP owners with respect to the legal and regulatory framework in China governing foreign investment, cross-border technology …
PRC Trademark Law Amendment Targeting Bad Faith Registration and Infringements
On April 23, 2019, the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (NPC) enacted amendments to the PRC Trademark Law mainly to address bad faith …
Recent Developments in IP Protection in China
Trademark Law Amended The PRC Trademark Law (TML) was amended on April 23, 2019, by the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (NPC), with …
The PRC Social Credit System and IP Protection
Introduction The Chinese government is in the process of developing a nationwide “Social Credit System” (社会信用体系) that aims to strengthen compliance by individuals and corporate …
Prosecuting Trademarks in China: An Insider’s Guide for Foreign Brand Owners in 2019 (Part I)
This article is the first of two parts and is intended to provide outsiders with information on recent developments, tips and tricks that are vital …
Draft SIPO Provisions for Addressing Bad Faith Registration in China
On February 14, 2019, the State Intellectual Property Office of China (SIPO) – the parent organization of the Trademark Office (TMO) – published draft regulations …
China’s New Ecommerce Law: A Summary and Assessment of IP Provisions
China’s new E-commerce Law (“ECL” which entered into effect on 1 January 2019) regulates a wide array of matters, including antitrust issues, data protection, consumer …
Case Note: Analysis of Bayer vs. Li Qing – Hangzhou IP Tribunal
This memorandum summarizes the contents of a recent decision by the Hangzhou IP Tribunal in a civil dispute involving Bayer and its Coppertone sunscreen and …