IP scene

Beijing

Dolls removed from Palace Museum shop

The Palace Museum has removed a line of popular dolls from its flagship online Taobao store to avoid infringement risks. Pretty Gege, a line of female dolls dressed in Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) costumes, were taken off the store last week after netizens raised their doubts about the product's originality. It is claimed that the dolls have a similar shape to a line of Japanese products. The Palace Museum said in an official announcement that it owns the intellectual property rights to the doll's facial designs, costumes, hairstyles and special shoes. However, the doll's body was provided by a company that was authorized to use a patented structure design. Observers said the removal shows the Palace Museum's prudence in dealing with IP risks.

China News Service

Copyright rewards for original cartoons

The Copyright Protection Center of China launched an initiative to reward copyrights regarding original animation works at the opening ceremony of this year's CPCC service congress on March 22. Animations and cartoons that have been published, distributed or broadcast in China or abroad in the past three years, including those online, are eligible for the rewards. The initiative aims to encourage innovation, increase awareness of developing copyrights for commercial use and foster more creative professionals, according to the CPCC.

Economic Daily

Jiangsu

Fake baijiu sellers caught by police

Nanjing police have investigated a case involving more than 11,700 bottles of fake branded baijiu alcohol products worth 13 million yuan ($2 million) in potential retail sales. During more than two months of investigations, the police used big data technology in their detection. A total of 32 illegal production and storage sites were raided and eight suspects were taken into custody. It is alleged the suspects refilled recycled high-end baijiu alcohol bottles with much cheaper spirits before reselling them online.

Legal Daily

Tibet

Potala Palace image violations enforced

Officials from the industrial and commercial administration of Lhasa, capital of the Tibet autonomous region, ordered 12 local businesses to stop using characters and images of Potala Palace on March 21. The businesses using the landmark image were not authorized. Officials informed the companies of related trademark regulations and ordered them to withdraw the infringing products. The business representatives agreed and said they would seek cooperation with Potala Palace in licensing the related trademark.

Lhasa Daily

(China Daily 03/29/2018 page17)