The 2024 AIPPI World Congress, organized by the International Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property, is scheduled for October in Hangzhou. In preparation, a roadshow took place in Shenzhen on June 21, 2024, facilitated by Johnson Intellectual Property Agency (Shenzhen) and Guangdong Fair Law Firm. The event aimed to connect China’s IP professionals and leading businesses, promoting discussions on IP protection ahead of the upcoming congress.
Yi Li, chief representative of AIPPI China and a consultant and senior patent and trademark researcher at CCPIT Patent & Trademark Law Firm in Beijing, outlined the structure of the upcoming congress to be similar to previous years, emphasizing areas designated for hosting events. He also suggested the usage of the Attendee Hub feature to facilitate networking among participants amidst a busy schedule.
The roadshow featured insights from Hansong Liao, legal director of Ganten (Shenzhen) Food and Beverage Group, who discussed challenges faced due to trademark infringement. This includes the complexities encountered during a trademark invalidation process the company was involved in; the process lasted five to six years in their case due to incomplete trademark registration. “Not only did they infringe our trademark, but they also made consumers firmly believe it was our new product,” said Liao. According to Liao, the infringers registered their goods in Classes 3 and 30 because Ganten did not fully register across all 45 trademark classes.
Bingling He, managing partner at Guangdong Liangma Law Firm in Shenzhen and deputy director of the Guangdong Lawyers Association Trademark Law Committee, addressed broader IP challenges in China, including extended timelines for trademark opposition and invalidation cases. It is common for cases to fall under a three- to four-year long-term cycle. She also mentioned that individuals cannot file for multiple trademarks to be processed under one case.
Concluding with a roundtable discussion, IP experts and AIPPI China representatives deliberated on China’s collaboration with international law firms in anticipation of the AIPPI World Congress. Xiaoyu Sun, a patent attorney at Bird & Bird in Hong Kong, emphasized the significance of effective communication between domestic and global legal entities to support Chinese enterprises in selecting appropriate international legal representation. “It is often that China’s enterprises have difficulties choosing the right law firms and agencies outside of China,” she said.
The roadshow concluded with an open forum among IP professionals, enhancing readiness for the forthcoming AIPPI World Congress on October 19-22, 2024.
- Cathy Li
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