Annual awards recognize brand protection efforts across China

The Quality Brands Protection Committee of the China Association of Enterprises with Foreign Investment announced its annual list of best-practice cases in intellectual property protection from last year at a ceremony to celebrate its 15th anniversary on June 17 in Beijing.

This year's list included a counterfeit Schneider trademark case in Zhejiang, a case violating Sony's design patents in Guangdong, a software copyright infringement on Microsoft and an unfair competition case involving Victoria's Secret in Shanghai.

The QBPC also unveiled its list of 2014-15 model cases harmonizing administrative and judicial IP enforcement.

The committee started the best-practice cases campaign in 2002, aiming to review and evaluate IP cases from the previous year and help its member companies protect their rights by exchanging previous experiences.

For the first time, five enforcement agencies won awards for outstanding protection of quality brands this year.

George Chao-Chi Chu, member of the US Advisory Committee on Trade Policy Negotiations, said in a speech at the ceremony that IP protection is a worldwide issue and suggested not using American standards to solve the issue in China.

"Foreign business entities in China might encounter some difficulties in dealing with the Chinese consumers in both governmental or public sectors because China has a different system, law and culture from Western society," he said.

"Therefore, the best way to be successful in China is to comply with the Chinese law and respect the Chinese culture and its interests."

Chen Xiaodong, chairman of the QBPC, agreed, saying that the IP infringement is "a global problem that requires comprehensive solutions combining economic, political, legal, social, cultural and scientific methods, with long-term joint efforts from the entire world".

"I am impressed by the trend that the cost of IP rights violation has been on the rise over the past years as the government pays increasing attention to IP protection, and it is easier to defend rights," he told China Daily.

He said one example was a trademark lawsuit in Guangdong, in which the right owner Luis Vuitton asked for civil damages before criminal penalties, and the request was supported by the local court.

He also noted another trend is that civil cases are becoming diversified, with increasing cases involving unfair competition, business secrets and copyright alongside trademark disputes.

He said the QBPC will cooperate with China's central and regional governments, companies, agencies and associations, as well as the international community, to help strengthen the nation's administrative and judicial IP enforcement and foster a fair market environment.

Although the committee represents the interests of overseas companies in China, it has made effort to help domestic companies improve their IP protection and management by organizing training programs to share their experience, Chen added.

It also has established partnerships with overseas organizations such as RusBrand, the largest association of fast moving consumer goods manufacturers in Russia.

Alexey Popovichev, executive director of RusBrand, said in a letter to the ceremony that the increase of cross-border illicit trade is "undoubtedly the most significant problem" the two countries will face in the near future.

"Fighting cross-border illicit trade of counterfeit goods between Russia and China through the partnership between RusBrand and QBPC not only protects the consumers of the two good nations and legitimates the interests of the brand owners, but also facilitates the trade and economic development in Russia and China," he wrote.

zhangzhao@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 07/01/2015 page17)