By King & Wood Mallesons’ Trademark Group
Currently, trademark protection is becoming one of the hottest topics in China. The latest headlines include the NBA star Michael Jordan suing the Chinese sportswear and footwear manufacture Qiaodan Sports Joint Stock Company for the alleged infringement over his name right, the preemptive registration of the mark "LIN SHU HAO (Jeremy Lin’s Chinese name)", and the domain name "lingshuhao.com" being for sale at a high price.
These trademark-related cases have drawn great attention among scholars and China’s online community (often referred to as "netizens"). Most netizens gave their opinions in a rational manner and appealed for fair treatment over the parties involved within the purview of relevant laws and regulations. Some netizens acknowledged that China has changed from a single and occlusive market to an open and international one and the interaction and competition with foreign companies are more intensified than before. China will be left far behind if the market lacks honesty and legal rules.Continue Reading Viewing IP Protection in China through Preemptive Trademark Registration