IP scene

Beijing

Heritage dictionary planned for 2019

China's first dictionary of intangible cultural heritage is due for release in the second half of 2019, according to experts involved in its compilation. The book is designed to outline related theories and to introduce national heritage items as well as their representatives. The dictionary is targeted at researchers, government officials, groups engaged in protecting national intangible cultural heritage and individuals interested in the field.

China News Service

Applications filed via Madrid system rise

Chinese registrants had filed 1,840 international trademark applications through the Madrid System for the International Registration of Marks in the first half of this year, an increase of 53.3 percent over the same period last year, according to statistics from the State Administration for Industry and Commerce. Chinese companies filed about 3,200 applications last year, ranking No 4 worldwide. They owned 23,614 valid international trademarks by the end of June.

China News Service

Ofo faces trademark suit over 'yellow vehicle' name

Bike-sharing service provider Ofo was recently sued by a Shanghai-based company for alleged violation of trademark rights. The company bringing the suit said it is the owner of the Xiaohuangche (meaning yellow vehicle) trademark, but Ofo has used the name for its smartphone app without permission. The company asked Ofo to stop using the name and pay compensation of 3 million yuan ($446,163). Ofo bikes are known for their iconic yellow color and users usually call them "yellow vehicles".

Chinacourt.org

Liaoning

Sino-South Korea event focuses on new media

Experts called for increased international cooperation in copyrights at a Sino-South Korean symposium in Dalian, a coastal city in Liaoning province, in late July. With the increasing popularity of new media in the fields of movies, publications, games and animation, copyright protection is also facing severe challenges from the internet. The related system therefore needs to adapt itself to the latest technological developments, encourage legal innovation and balance the interests of copyright owners and users, said the symposium participants, including scholars, enforcement officials and business representatives from the two countries.

Chinaxwcb.com

Tibet

Brand campaign promotes local companies' products

The Tibet Administration for Industry and Commerce has initiated a campaign to help local businesses to promote their trademarks, the first of its kind in the autonomous region. Companies across Tibet that have been granted the status of well-known trademarks of China or Tibet, or geographical indication protection, are eligible for participation. The deadline for applications is this Saturday. The authorities will select 18 of them for a monthlong TV broadcast and open-air exhibition.

Xzxw.com

Taiwan

Island's SMEs struggle to maintain patents

Small and medium-sized businesses with 100 to 500 employees show less interest in maintaining patents than research and educational institutes and large corporations, according to a report released by the island's applied research laboratories. About 36.1 percent of patents held by SMEs were renewed from 2005 to 2015, far less than the 70.2 percent of large companies and 61.1 percent in academic circles.

Xinhua News Agency

(China Daily 08/03/2017 page17)