Guangdong

First in IP protection

The province ranked first in intellectual property protection in a recent report unveiled by the State Intellectual Property Office. It was also among the top in terms of IP creation, use, management and service. Guangdong's law enforcement agencies investigated more than 17,000 IP infringement cases involving total retail value of more than 412 million yuan ($66 million) in the first 11 months of 2014.

China Intellectual Property News

Zhejiang

Most Taobao goods not real

On Hangzhou-based Taobao.com, the largest online shopping portal in China, nearly 63 percent of goods are counterfeit, according to a recent report by the State Administration for Industry and Commerce. A random inspection examined samples from a number of large Chinese online shopping sites, and found that 41.3 percent were fakes. The counterfeit rate on Tmall.com, which shares the same parent company as Taobao, was 15 percent.

Wenzhou Economic Daily

Beijing

Focus on trademarks

Trademark protection is one of the priorities for the State Administration for Industry and Commerce this year, officials said at a national work meeting on Jan 25. They will pay special attention to famous trademarks, geographical indications and international trademarks. Industry and commerce administrations across the nation dealt with more than 63,000 trademark infringement cases in the first 11 months of 2014, involving total value of more than 954 million yuan ($153 million).

China Consumer News

Jiangsu

Fake TV-makers jailed

A husband and wife in the city of Taicang were recently each sentenced to one year in jail and fined for making and selling fake Samsung TV sets. They started the business in 2013, when the husband purchased TV sets made from used computer screens and the wife sold them via online shopping portals. The TVs used a trademark that looked similar to Samsung's. The local industry and commerce authority and police raided their home last year and found more than 1,000 labels and 100 unsold TVs.

Chinacourt.org

Shanghai

Japanese comics in China

Japanese e-book provider Ebook Initiative recently announced plans to provide genuine Japanese comic books in China in April through a joint company set up with Stories magazine in Shanghai. Ebook offers about 100,000 copyrighted comic books in Japan. Although it has not decided which books to provide in China, the company said it would exclude any involving politics. Ebook and the magazine will also work together to translate the comics into Chinese.

TechWeb

Gansu

Patent award established

The provincial government announced on Jan 25 the establishment of a provincial patent award, which will begin on March 1. According to the related guideline, patents that have been commercialized in the province for at least two years and that create significant economic or social benefits can enter the competition. Organizers said the event would be organized annually to honor a maximum of 50 outstanding patents. The highest prize will be 50,000 ($7,997) yuan.

gs.people.com.cn