On April 8, 2024 the Shanghai Hongkou District People’s Court announced the sentencing of three defendants for the crime of of selling goods with counterfeit registered trademarks, specifically, Maotai, a brand of baijiu, the national liquor of China. As of January 2022, the police had seized more than 200 bottles of the counterfeit Maotai with a total value of over 500,000 RMB at two stores.
Category: Trademarks
China’s Supreme People’s Court Upholds 79 Million RMB Win for Château Lafite Rothschild in Wine Trademark Case
In a decision dated September 21, 2023 and only just released, China’s Supreme People’s Court (SPC) ruled for Château Lafite Rothschild upholding a judgement of 79.17 million RMB. The plaintiff in the first instance, Château Lafite Rothschild, believed that Golden Hope Company (南京金色希望酒业有限公司), Chateau Lafite Company (南京拉菲庄园酒业有限公司), Huaxia Company (南京华夏葡萄酿酒有限公司), Junteng Company (深圳市骏腾酒业有限公司), Perun Company (杭州佩伦贸易有限公司), Zui Niu Company (北京醉牛酒业有限公司), and Jiu Sheng Company (上海久圣酒类有限公司) used “LAFEI MANOR” and “拉菲庄园” to infringe on its trademark rights and damage the reputation …
China Trademark Registrations Down 29% in 2023
According to recently released statistics from the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) Chinese trademark registrations were down 29% in 2023 versus 2022. That equates to a decrease of 1.7945 million trademark registrations year-on-year. Foreigners registered 3.1% of the trademarks up from 2.9% in 2022 but a decrease in absolute numbers of 40,696 registrations from 2022 for 134,776 registrations.
Chinese Utility Model Grants Down 25.5% in 2023, Invention Patent Grants Up 15.4% in Shift from Quantity to Quality
In China’s shift from quantity to quality, 25.5% fewer utility models were granted in 2023 versus 2022. Design patent grants were also down 11.5% according to a January 16, 2024 press conference held by the State Council Information Office. In contrast, invention patent grants were up 15.4%. Invention patent applications are substantively examined while utility models and designs only undergo a preliminary examination. 2024 may show a continuing downward trend for utility models as the amended Patent Examination Guidelines, effective …