anti-unfair competition

By Susan Ning, Hazel Yin, Han Wu, Lingbo Wei King & Wood Mallesons’ Commercial & Regulatory Group

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On February 25th 2016, the State Council published the Anti-Unfair Competition Law (Draft Amendment) (the law hereinafter the “AUCL”, the draft amendment hereinafter the “Draft”) for public comments. Certain issues have arisen since the implementation of AUCL in 1993, for example, new types of unfair competitive behaviors have been under-regulated and the penalties do not have enough deterrent effects. Also, since 2008, the enactment of the Antitrust-Monopoly Law (“AML”) has resulted in overlaps and inconsistent standards of application.

The Draft not only clarifies some traditional anti-unfair competition behaviors listed in the AUCL, but also provides regulation of new types of unfair competition conducts. The current AUCL has 5 chapters 33 articles while the Draft involves amendment to 30 articles. The Draft strikes out 7 articles, adds 9 articles, and totals 35 articles. It mainly amends and improves 6 behaviors (passing off, commercial bribery, misleading advertising, infringement of business secret, sales with giveaway and commercial defamation), and adds two behaviors (abuse of comparatively advantageous position and unfair competition on the internet). Additionally, the draft substantially increases penalties on unfair competition behaviors.
Continue Reading Highlights of the Draft Amendment to China’s Anti-Unfair Competition Law: Abuse of a Comparatively Advantageous Position

By King & Wood Mallesons’ Healthcare Group

Guangdong JDB Beverage Company Limited (“JDB”) filed a lawsuit against Wong Lo Kat in Chongqing’s First Intermediate People’s Court (the “Court”), alleging that Wong Lo Kat’s advertisement slogan of “a bottle of Wanglaoji takes the fear of Shànghuǒ (i.e. excessive internal heat a cause of disease in Chinese perspective) away”, constitutes unfair competition. Although this case involved an advertisement slogan, it was heard in the court according to the Anti-unfair Competition Law rather than the Copyright and Trademark Laws, creating a novel cause of action.
Continue Reading KWM Prevails in Representation of Wong Lo Kat in Anti-unfair Competition of Advertisement Slogan Lawsuits

作者:胡梅 瞿淼 郁斯敏 金杜律师事务所争议解决

2011年7月22日,美国华盛顿州通过了修改其《反不正当竞争法》的议案,新增一章名为《产品销售-窃取或盗用信息技术》的新法(以下简称“新法”)。根据该法律规定,在生产、经营中使用假冒盗版信息技术产品(包括假冒硬件产品和软件产品)并拒不改正的产品制造商,无论其违法行为发生在何处,只要其产品在华盛顿州销售或者许诺销售,都将可能构成不正当竞争,从而导致其在美国华盛顿州被政府或其竞争者起诉,并可能因此导致货物在美国被扣押、被禁止销售、以及被判令支付赔偿金,甚至惩罚性赔偿。该法案的颁布和实施虽然远在美国华盛顿州,但却对于全球所有向美国出口的制造业企业均有影响。中国被视为“世界工厂”而美国又是“中国制造”产品的最大出口市场,众多的中国制造企业均应注意该法案可能对其生产经营活动所产生的实质性影响,避免由于在生产经营过程中使用假冒盗版IT产品导致向美国出口受阻并引发其他法律风险。Continue Reading 使用盗版软件将可能导致在美国被诉 – 评美国华盛顿州新修订之《反不正当竞争法》

By Susan Ning and Shan Lining, King & Wood’s Competition Group

On 14 October 2010, Tencent Technology (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd (Tencent) launched an action against Beijing Qihoo Technology Co., Ltd (Qihoo) alleging that the latter has breached Article 14 of the Anti-Unfair Competition Law(1). Article 14 of the Anti-Unfair Competition Law prohibits entities from fabricating or spreading false facts, resulting in damaging the business reputation of a competing entityContinue Reading QQ vs 360 – An Anti-unfair Competition Case