Court case ends in stalemate

SHANGHAI: A trademark dispute here between a foreign luxury hotel brand and a local spa chain yesterday became the country's first court hearing to be broadcast live via the Internet.

The two-hour hearing, in which Britain-based Ritz Hotel Ltd is suing Shanghai-based Shanghai Huangpu Rits Club for using the name "Rits", was shown live on two websites.

The hotel is seeking 300,000 yuan ($43,000) in compensation from the spa, and is also demanding it changes its name.