China IP

The World Trademark Review, in its article, "Research reveals increased US confidence in China’s rights enforcement regime," [subscription required for full article] just came out with a story on a recent US-China Business Council (USCBC) survey finding that US brand owners are becoming less concerned with IP rights enforcement in China.

Stan Abrams over at China Hearsay is (or will be?) speaking on China intellectual property at an IP conference for SMEs in the Netherlands and he has mapped out on his blog what he is going to say. And here it is:

In terms of general business discussion, there are fewer topic discussed more than the protection of IP in China.

Last week’s Newsweek article Generic Giants: Why China Can’t Create Brands took a stab at answering the question many have been asking: Where are China’s brands.

"Intellectual Property Rights - Avoid turning Chinese suppliers into future competitor & prevent US competitors from hijacking the China supply chain you have pioneered."

Over the last six months or so, my firm's work for Chinese companies going international has zoomed, and with that, my knowledge of how Chinese companies "handle" foreign companies has zoomed as well.

Had a couple of really interesting discussions about working with Chinese factories today. One was with a Purchasing Manager from the States that buys for his company in China.

China's Supreme Court recently confirmed what my firm has always been telling its clients: if you want to protect your trademark in China, you absolutely must register it in China.