Bridge IP Law Commentary - Page 13 of 64 - Your Guide to China IP Law！

Is It Illegal for WeChat to Block Sharing Link of Alipay?

Posted on February 11, 2015 by yytbest

(By You Yunting) Recently, China Internet giant enterprises generated an intense competition during their hand-to-hand combat, but this time the main character is the Tencent which successively block sharing link with Alipay, Xiami Music App and NetEase Cloud Music App on its WeChat platform. It means that WeChat users could not use the mobile applications to link the contents of Alipay Red Envelope Gifting, Xiami App and NetEase Cloud Music App on its WeChat platform.

Afterwards, Tencent implied externally that the act of sharing link with Alipay Red Envelope Gifting is a malicious marketing and promotion on its WeChat platform, even a shattering experience, and its blocking should have something done with the uninstallation of WeChat Payment on Alipay platform (Chinese Link: http://tech.techweb.com.cn/thread-642700-1-1.html) For cutting off link with Xiami App and NetEase Cloud Music App, Tencent implied to have relationship with its content piracy (Chinese Link: http://tech.sina.com.cn/i/2015-02-05/doc-ichmifpx7018268.shtml).

Does Story Plot Plagiarism Constitute Copyright Infringement in China?

Posted on February 7, 2015 by yytbest

(By You Yunting) Introduction to the Case:

In the first half of 2014, Palace 3: the Lost Daughter is a 2014 Chinese historical television series written and produced by Yu Zheng. In April 2014, a Taiwanese writer Chiung Yao made a letter claimed that Palace 3: the Lost Daughter (the “disputed show) was based on her novel Plum Blossom Scar (the “reference novel”), but Yu Zheng delayed. On May 28, 2014, Chiung Yao filed a lawsuit, claiming that Yu Zheng was unauthorized to copy her original core plot, recompose the disputed drama and produce and broadcast the disputed show with another 4 defendants. Chiung Yao thought that Yu Zheng had seriously violated her right of adaptation and cinematization, causing great mental damage, and requested Yu Zheng to immediate stop infringement, eliminate influences, make an apology and compensation of RMB 20 million for economic loss.

China Laws and Regulations Update in January 2015

Posted on January 30, 2015 by yytbest

The State Administration of Taxation of the PRC Promulgates the General Tax Avoidance Prevention Measures (for Trials)

On 2nd of December 2014, the State Administration of Taxation of the PRC promulgated the General Tax Avoidance Prevention Measures (for Trials), which will come into effect on 1st of February 2015.

This file has specified the characteristics of tax avoidance cases, tax adjustment measures, the general tax avoidance control procedure comprised of three processes, i.e. filing, investigating and closing a case, functions and authority different taxation authorities have in each process, and the rights of investigated businesses to raise objections, request remedies, act as mediators for settlement of disputes.

Will China New Foreign Investment Law Wipe Out VIE Structure?

Posted on January 22, 2015 by yytbest

(By You Yunting) Abstract: The Foreign Investment Law (Draft for Comments) has shifted the standard of a company based upon the actual controller, instead of the shareholder of the company, and regulated that the domestic company must not engage in any industries where operation by foreign investors is prohibited. In case the Draft becomes law, it will cut off the survival basis of VIE structure, so that the VIE company controlled by foreign investors cannot be operated, that the overseas listed company controlled through the VIE structure by Chinese will lose its survival basis of oversea listing, and that the startup companies of VIE structure controlled by Chinese will be forced to abandon the VIE structure.

China Laws and Regulations Update in December 2014

Posted on January 6, 2015 by yytbest

The State Council Releases the Catalogue of Investment Projects Subject to Government Verification and Approval (2014 Edition)

On 31st of October 2014, the State Council released the Notice of the State Council on Promulgating the Catalogue of Investment Projects Subject to Government Verification and Approval (2014 Edition), which became effective on the same date.

Enterprises that intend to invest in and construct the fixed-asset investment projects listed in the Catalogue shall apply to relevant project verification and approval authorities for verification and approval in accordance with pertinent provisions. Enterprises that intend to invest in and construct projects other than those listed in the Catalogue shall be subject to record-filing administration. Projects invested and constructed by public institutions, social organizations, etc. shall be governed by the Catalogue.

China Supreme Court Approved Passive Use as the Use of Trademark

Posted on December 26, 2014 by yytbest

(By Luo Yanjie) Trademark is to distinguish the goods and services from different trademark owners. However, if the public voluntarily called it another name and made use of it, then does such use still constituted the use of trademark as regulated in the Trademark Law. If you want to know more, please read the next posts.

Introduction to the Case:

Re-appellant (third party at first instance and appellant at second instance): Gui Pufang

Re-respondent (plaintiff at first instance and respondent at second instance): Guangdong Tea Imp. & Exp. Co. Ltd (the “GDT”)

What is the Procedure When It Comes to the Registration of Imported Software in China?

Posted on December 19, 2014 by yytbest

(By Wang Ting and You Yunting) Today we will discuss the legal restrictions and application procedures in regard to the introduction of foreign software into China.

Copyright Protection of Imported Software

The Protection of Computer Software Regulations dividends the protection of imported foreign software into two types:

Software first distributed within the territory of China shall have copyright;
Software concluded with China by the countries to which the creators belong or in which the creators reside habitually or under the international conventions to which China is a member state shall enjoy its copyright.

China has concluded the Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works with more than a hundred countries in the world. Taking that into consideration, under most circumstances if the requirements above can be met, the creator of the introduced software can cite the convention to gain copyright protection which is equal to Chinese citizens.

Why Did Using a Literal Meaning of “智慧背囊” be Judged Trademark Infringement?

Posted on December 12, 2014 by yytbest

(By You Yunting) Introduction to the Case:

Appellant (1^st defendant at first instance): Qingdao Publishing House

Respondent (plaintiff at first instance): Shandong Shiji Tianhong Education Technology Co., Ltd (the “Tianhong Education”)

2^nd Defendant at first instance: Beijing Readbuy Tianxia Information and Technology Co., Ltd (the “Readbuy”)

Court of first instance: Beijing Fengtai District People’s Court No.: (2014)丰民初字第03829号

Court of second instance: Beijing No.2 Intermediate People’s Court No.: (2014)二中民（知）终字第10356号

Youku Steals the Originality, How Can the Student Fight Against Plagiarism?

Posted on December 5, 2014 by yytbest

(By You Yunting) A post named the Teenagers Cannot Be Bullied was made by a 19-year-old student to complain that Youku.com ripped off his idea, causing a big stir online. The 19-year-old student and his fellows succeeded in taking photos of the earth from flying a hot-air balloon and then published their experience named the Kids Who Chase the Balloon and photos online. Afterwards, staffs from Youku.com contacted him, saying that they would like to address a short video to write down their behaviors. Then they reached an agreement through emails that the 19-year-old student and his fellows would cooperate with Youku.com in making a creative short video from the post the Kids Who Chase the Balloon.

China Laws and Regulations Update in November 2014

Posted on November 28, 2014 by yytbest

The State Intellectual Property Bureau of the P.R.China Publishes the Opinions on Investment Administration Regulations Concerning Intellectual Property to Foster Growth of Small and Micro Enterprises.

On 11th of October 2014, the State Intellectual Property Bureau of P.R.China published the Opinions on Investment Administration Regulations Concerning Intellectual Property to Foster Growth of Small and Micro Enterprises. The Opinions involve fifteen specific measures to help small and micro enterprises obtain rights to their innovative achievements, improve patent sponsorship policies for small and micro enterprises and support small and micro enterprises by properly tackling intellectual property related issues, in order to foster innovation and growth of small and micro enterprises, perfect intellectual property services for small and micro enterprises, improve the ability of small and micro enterprises to use intellectual property and optimize the intellectual property development environment for small and micro enterprises.

Bruce Lee’s Daughter Won Trademark Opposition for the Chinese Name of the late Bruce Lee

Posted on November 21, 2014 by yytbest

(By Luo Yanjie) The most common trademark squatting is to register celebrity names as trademarks in China. In following post, we will introduce a case regarding where the court rejected the rush-registered trademark via the use of late celebrity names. Bruce Lee, with his Chinese name 李小龍, was a late Hong Kong American martial artist, Hong Kong action film actor, martial instructor, filmmaker and the founder of Jeet Kune Do. The descendants of the late Bruce Lee set up a Bruce Lee Enterprise, LLC in the operation of related matters to the late Bruce Lee.

Are Enterprises Entitled to the Rights for Its Prior Enterprise Name?

Posted on November 14, 2014 by yytbest

(By Wang Ting and You Yunting) In enterprise name registration, if an enterprise changed its enterprise name at once, generally the new enterprise name is under protection. This means, the enterprise is no longer entitled to the rights and interests of its prior enterprise name. Such being the case, does another’s registration on the prior enterprise name cause its prior rights, or violate the Article 32 of the Trademark Law on the stipulation that the trademark application shall not infringe upon another party’s prior existing rights? Is the enterprise with a new enterprise name entitled to the prior right for its prior rights? In today’s post, with regard to those questions, the Trademark Office, the Trademark Review and Adjudication Board, Beijing No.1 Intermediate People’s Court and Beijing Higher Peoples Court were divided in their attitude.

Could JD.com Make the Alibaba’s Registered “双十一” Trademark Invalid?

Posted on November 6, 2014 by yytbest

(By You Yunting) According to the news, Alibaba Group, an Chinese e-commerce that provides consumer-to-consumer business-to-consumer and business-to-business sales services via web portals, has already obtained the registration of the trademark “双十一” (meaning “double 11”, actually the date of November 11th) (the “disputed trademark”) and authorized its affiliated Tmall.com to the exclusive use of the disputed trademark. Moreover, Alibaba delivered letters to various news media arguing that the JD.com’s use of “双十一” infringed the rights of its trademark. However, JD.com, one of the largest B2C online retailers in China by transaction volume, replied that the date of “November 11th” has already became a shopping day for all retailers and Alibaba’s registration on the “双十一” is accused of having the monopoly. Actually, Sunning Appliance, Gome and Amazon have suffered such impacts as well as JD.com.

China Laws and Regulations Update in Octorber 2014

Posted on October 31, 2014 by yytbest

Intellectual Property Tribunals to Be Established in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou

On 1 September 2014, the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress approved the Decision to Establish Intellectual Property Tribunals in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou. The Decision stipulates that the Supreme People’s Court should be entitled to set up intellectual property tribunals in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou by taking into account types and numbers of intellectual property cases. Such tribunals govern first-instance civil and administrative intellectual property litigation cases relating to such technically demanding issues as patents, new species of plants, layout designs of integrated circuits, confidential know-hows, etc. and have the right to decide on any appeal against first-instance judgment or verdict by a local lower-level people’s court on civil and administrative intellectual property cases relating to copyrights, trademarks, etc.

An Analysis on Chinese and Foreign Entrepreneurs’ Equity Disposal Options

Posted on October 21, 2014 by yytbest

(By Wang Qiurui) Selfishness is nature of human beings and difficult to get rid of, out of which a problem arises that employees and even high-level managerial staff of a company care much more about their own interest than the company’s rise and fall when dealing with managerial issues. Adam Smith raised a question related to such problem in his masterpiece the Wealth of Nations, known as ‘Smith’s Difficult Question’.

Many past and living Chinese and foreign entrepreneurs have turned to equity to find a way of thinking a solution to overcome such weakness of human beings. However, being governed by the current Company Law of P.R.China, settlement of a case in such a way would give rise to many legal issues. It should be more advisable for Chinese entrepreneurs to create and apply to their businesses a phantom equity system.