Ai-Leen Lim
Rush to register French football star Mbappé’s name highlights China’s rampant trademark squatting problem
By Ai-Leen Lim | Posted on September 7, 2018
The 2018 FIFA World Cup ended with France being victorious and a new star player emerging among the winning team – young footballer Kylian Mbappé Following the 1 July match against Argentina, during which Mbappé scored two goals, a staggering 169 trademark applications were filed as several Chinese companies and individuals applied to trademark his name....
Tags: china, FIFA, Football, Intellectual Property, Mbappé, trademarks, World Cup 2018
Why the authorities are taking a tougher stance on trademark infringement in the food industry
By Ai-Leen Lim | Posted on April 4, 2018
Thirteen defendants have been criminally prosecuted in Shanghai for selling goods under illegally manufactured labels, reinforcing the tough stance that the authorities have been taking in counterfeit food cases. The cases On January 11 2018, the Intellectual Property Trial Division of Shanghai Pudong New Area People’s Court delivered judgment in six cases involving trademarks for...
Tags: china, criminal prosecution, fruit, Infringement, labels, Trademark, trademark infringement
Has China taken another Bite out of the Apple?
By Ai-Leen Lim | Posted on June 30, 2016
After locking horns with a local Chinese company for six years over the IPHONE trademark, Apple took a drubbing after last month’s decision by the Beijing High People’s Court. Apple applied for the “IPHONE” trademark for software and hardware (Class 9) in China in 2002. A Chinese company, called Xingtong Tiandi, which makes leather goods, is...
AWA Asia likes Facebook’s victory in China
By Ai-Leen Lim | Posted on June 11, 2016
In a recent high profile case, Facebook secured a victory against a trademark squatter at the Beijing High People’s Court. This comes shortly after Apple Inc was defeated in its iPhone trademark battle. In 2011 a Chinese individual, who is alleged to be associated with a local beverage company, applied to register the trademark FACE...
Copycats in China: The canary in the coalmine for foreign companies?
By Ai-Leen Lim | Posted on November 16, 2015
The recent media report concerning the “fake” Goldman Sachs in China has sparked another series of stories about counterfeits in China… but has it sparked a call to action yet? Throwbacks to the bogus Apple stores and the concocted IKEA shops both found in Kunming in 2011 come to mind. Whilst foreign companies are amazed...
Tougher measures on advertising in China (wef 1 September 2015): Caveat Vendor
By Ai-Leen Lim | Posted on November 10, 2015
The recent case of smart phone maker Xiaomi coming under investigation for misleading consumers through false advertising, is a cautionary tale for companies seeking to promote their products and services in China. The company was caught by the New Advertising Law in China, enacted on 1st September 2015, which clamps down on fictitious advertising. By...
Tags: AIC, anti-puffery, Caveat Vendor
New IP courts major step forward in China’s judicial reforms
By Ai-Leen Lim | Posted on March 24, 2015
In November and December 2014, China announced the long awaited establishment of three specialized IP courts in the Tier 1 cities of Beijing, Guangzhou and Shanghai. These courts are empowered to hear the following cases: First instance civil and administrative cases related to patents, new plant varieties, layout design of integrated circuit, technological secrets and...
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