The cases of three-year non-use trademark cancellation have been on the rise in the recent years and have attracted more and more attention. However, as to some special circumstances (such as the trademark obtaining registration after the opposition procedure and the international trademark registration designating China for territorial extension), the registration date (the date when the exclusive right to use a trademark is granted) may probably be inconsistent with the date when the registration status has been confirmed (the date when the trademark administration or judicial authority finally determines and grants the trademark right).

The earliest Chinese regulations with regard to “examination on the disclaimer to the exclusive right to use the trademark” appeared in Trademark Examination Rules, which was promulgated by the Chinese Trademark Office (CTMO) in 1994. Rules 3 and 4 of the CTMO Notice on Issues concerning Trademark Examination Notification [Shang Biao (2000) No. 80] further stipulated the specific circumstances where the exclusive right to use the trademark should be disclaimed.

In April 2012, the Trademark Review and Adjudication Board (TRAB) announced the latest list of well-known trademarks recognized in China, including “Sina & design, Sina, SINA NET in Chinese,” and “SOHU in Chinese.” Up to date, around ten trademarks have been recognized as well-known in the Internet industry in China.

The newly revised Chinese Trademark Law 2013 adopts Article 58 which prescribes as follows: “Where the registered trademark or unregistered well-known trademark of others is used as a trade name contained in the enterprise name, which is likely to mislead the public and constitutes unfair competition, it shall be adjudicated under the Chinese Anti-Unfair Competition Law.”

In February 2013, the Supreme People’s Court (SPC) rendered a decision [The SPC Administrative Order (2012) Zhi Xing Zi No. 9] (the SPC No. 9 Order) on the re-trial case of the trademark “Duck King in Chinese” filed by Shanghai Huai Hai Duck King Roast Duck Restaurant Co., Ltd. (previously named as Shanghai Huai Hai Quanjude Roast Duck Restaurant Co., Ltd., hereinafter as “Shanghai Duck King”).

More and more multinational companies (MNCs) are realising that, as an indispensable part of a global IP strategy, importance of successfully enforcing IP right in China cannot be overstressed. Besides administrative remedy, initiating IP infringement lawsuit in China is widely considered as a feasible yet challenging measure for enforcing IP rights.

This article is the English translation for Mr. Wang’s article in Chinese published on China Trademark magazine (Issue 3, 2011). China Trademark magazine is sponsored by China Trademark Association under supervision of the State Administration for Industry and Commerce (SAIC) overseeing the Chinese Trademark Office (CTMO) and the Trademark Review and Adjudication Board (TRAB).

The DUCK KING trademark re-trial is listed as No. 7 of China 2013 Top 10 Innovative IP Cases (published by the Supreme People’s Court on April 21, 2014).
The English translation below [CASE BRIEF and INNOVATIVE SIGNIFICANCE] is prepared by Beijing East IP Law Firm for reference merely, based on Chinese Language Version published by the Supreme People’s Court. Beijing East IP Law Firm also provides comments and analysis on this case.

Article 31 of the Chinese Trademark Law states that “using unfair means to preemptively register the trademark of some reputation of another person has used” shall not be registered.　According to the provision’s language, fame of the prior mark and the bad faith of the trademark applicant are the two applicable elements of the bad faith filing prescribed by Article 31.

On March 17, 2014, the State Intellectual Property Office (SIPO) issued Order No. 68. Under this Order, graphic user interface (GUI) is becoming eligible for design patent protection as of May 1, 2014.