China’s Supreme People’s Court Awards 159 Million RMB Compensation in Vanillin Trade Secret Case

Posted on Categories Case, Trade Secrets

The Supreme People’s Court announced a verdict on February 26, 2021 against Wanglong Group Co., Ltd. awarding Jiaxing Zhonghua Chemical Co., Ltd. (嘉兴市中华化工有限责任公司) and Shanghai Xinchen New Technology Co., Ltd. (上海欣晨新技术有限公司) 159 million RMB (~$24.5 million USD) in trade secret case relating to the manufacture of vanillin, a food flavoring.  This is the largest ever trade secret theft award reported in China.

China’s Supreme People’s Procuratorate Issues 26th Batch of Guiding Cases for Intellectual Property

Posted on Categories Case, Copyright, Trade Secrets, Trademarks

On February 8, 2021, China’s Supreme People’s Procuratorate issued the 26th batch of guiding cases covering intellectual property.  This batch covers 5 cases including criminal trademark, copyright and trade secret law.  Foreign victims included Starbucks, Cisco, and HP in 2 of the 5 cases. A brief summary of the cases follow.  The full text is available here (in Chinese only).

China’s National People’s Congress Passes Amended Criminal Law Adding an Economic Espionage Article and Increasing Prison Time for Intellectual Property Crimes

Posted on Categories Copyright, New Law, Rule or Implementing Regulation, Trade Secrets, Trademarks

On December 26, 2020, the Twenty-Fourth Meeting of the Standing Committee of the 13th National People’s Congress of China voted to pass the “Amendment to the Criminal Law of the People’s Republic of China (11)” (中华人民共和国刑法修正案(十一)), which will go into effect on March 1, 2021. The Criminal Law includes several articles for intellectual property crime and the amendments increase the maximum sentencing term. The amendments also add a new article somewhat similar to the US’ Economic Espionage Act potentially in …

China’s Supreme People’s Court Releases Guidelines for Enforcement of Intellectual Property Judgments

Posted on Categories Copyright, New Law, Rule or Implementing Regulation, Patents, Trade Secrets, Trademarks, Unfair Competition

On December 10, 2020, China’s Supreme People’s Court released “Guidelines for Enforcement of Intellectual Property Judgments” (知识产权判决执行工作指南). The Guidelines have 29 Articles that cover the types of cases the Guidelines cover; enforcement of civil intellectual property cases; enforcement of intellectual property administrative cases; and enforcement of criminal intellectual property cases.