In the Economic and Trade Agreement Between the United States of America and the People’s Republic of China, Phase 1, dated January 15, 2020 China has made several major commitments to improve Intellectual Property protection. Chapter 1, which comprises 16 pages of the 94-page document, specifies improvements in trade secret protection; strengthening pharmaceutical-related Intellectual Property; granting patent term adjustments and extensions; preventing piracy and counterfeiting on e-commerce platforms; increasing transparency in geographical indications protection; preventing manufacture and export of counterfeit …
Author: Aaron Wininger
Aaron Wininger is a Senior Attorney and Director of China Intellectual Property at Schwegman Lundberg & Woessner.
Chinese Patent Filings Drop 9% in 2019
In a press conference on January 14, 2020, the Chinese National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA)released 2019 annual statistics indicating a drop of 9.1% in invention patent application filings from 2018. Nonetheless, Chinese invention applications filed in 2019 totaled a staggering 1.401 million. This compares to 616,852 U.S. utility patent application filings in fiscal year 2019, a 3% increase over fiscal year 2018. Press conference photo from CNIPA.
Jaguar Land Rover Successfully Invalidates Chinese Design Patent for Landwind X7
The China Supreme People’s Court recently rejected the appeal by Jiangling Holdings Co Ltd. against a holding invalidating their Chinese design patent entitled Off-road Vehicle (Landwind E32) numbered 201330528226.5. In a long-running dispute between Jaguar Land Rover and Jiangling, Jiangling became notorious for manufacturing a crossover SUV Landwind X7 that bore a striking resemblance to the Range Rover Evoque.
China’s Amended TM Law Has Potential To Reduce Squatting
On November 1, 2019 China’s amended trademark law came into force. The Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress has amended six articles of the trademark law focusing on reducing trademark squatting and increasing damages for infringement.