Major acts in recent days (09-05-25)

Trademark infringing

Castrol Ltd is seeking 1 million yuan from a private company owner for infringing its trademark and company name. The producer of lubricating oil is also asking for a public apology and a promise of no more infringements by Yao Yuxin, a Zhejiang province businessman, and his two companies - USA Jiashiduo Int'l Petroleum Group (Hong Kong) Ltd and Ningbo Yinzhou Jiashuai Lubricating Oil Factory. Zhou Zhaohong, who runs a local moped repair workshop, is also listed as a defendant. Zhou is being sued for selling the product in question. Shanghai No 2 Intermediate People's Court heard the case recently with all the defendants absent. No verdict was reached after the hearing. Castrol said the name was recognized as a famous trademark in China by the market watchdog last year.

IPR pledge loans

The China Banking Regulatory Commission (CBRC) and Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) recently jointly issued the "Guidance on Further Increasing Credit Support for Technology-based Small- and Medium-sized Enterprises". According to the guidance, CBRC will further improve related policies on financing support for hi-tech SMEs and promoting businesses with IPR pledge loans.

The guidance provides that the science and technology departments and banking supervision organ should improve the cooperation mechanism, promote the establishment of a scientific and reasonable risk-sharing system, and guide the banks to further increase credit support for hi-tech SMEs.

CBRC said related departments will also integrate scientific and technological resources and establish risk compensation funds for technology-based SMEs.

Hi-tech expo opens

The 12th China International Hi-Tech Expo (CHITEC) was opened in Beijing last week.

More than 30 provinces and municipalities organized delegations to participate in the expo, and nearly 50 internationally renowned guests and 100 of the world's top business leaders attended the expo. With the theme of "science & technology innovation leading development", the expo demonstrated scientific and technological achievements, especially the independent innovation achievements in the 60 years after China was founded.

IPR trial chamber

The People's Court of Changping District of Beijing recently set up the Intellectual Property Right Trial Chamber, which became the first IPR trial chamber in the suburbs of Beijing.

There are 22 public universities, 14 private colleges and universities, 103 scientific research institutions and about 1,500 hi-tech enterprises located in Changping District, which forms Changping Park of Zhongguancun Science & Technology Park. Last year, two R&D centers of Chinese National Petroleum Corp (CNPC) and Sino Petroleum Corp moved there. The patent applications filed by the scientific entities and enterprises rank seventh in the city and second in all the suburban counties.

Meanwhile, there are a rising number of disputes related to intellectual property rights, involving copyrights, patents, trademarks and business secrets. Beijing Municipal Higher People's Court authorized Changping Court to accept some civil cases related to IPRs.