Beijing

Students show off latest inventions

More than 600 inventions by students from 54 universities in Beijing and Tianjin as well as Hebei province were displayed at a promotional event on Saturday and Sunday. The exhibits covered the sectors of new materials, energy conservation, consumer electronics and advanced manufacturing. Many companies were attracted to the event to seek patent cooperation opportunities. Lectures and consultation services were also provided at the event.

Guangming Daily

Hong Kong

HK, Guangdong hold joint seminar

Hong Kong companies currently have 455 recognized famous trademarks of Guangdong province, according to a recent seminar held by the Guangdong provincial administration for industry and commerce and the Hong Kong Intellectual Property Department. The seminar focused on international trademark registration and protection. Officials said the two governments are encouraging trademark cooperation and have agreed on 10 projects.

Gd.gov.cn

Shanghai

20 win trademark innovation awards

The 2015 China Trademark Awards were granted to 20 organizations and individuals last week. Organized by the State Administration for Industry and Commerce and the World Intellectual Property Organization since last year, the awards are given to those who have made great achievements in trademark innovation and protection, and in the use of the Madrid international trademark system.

Shanghai Intellectual Property Office

Gansu

Province rolls out patent subsidy plan

Multiple government departments recently unveiled Gansu's first provincial-level patent subsidy policy. Individuals and organizations in the province will each get 2,000 yuan ($311.50) for a duty invention patent and 1,000 yuan for a nonduty patent, plus 4,000 yuan if a patent is valid for seven years. Applicants for international patents will each get a maximum of 50,000 yuan. Patent application procedures were also simplified.

Gansudaily.com.cn

Xinjiang

Govt offices create settlement system

The high court and the IP office of Xinjiang have established a mechanism to handle civil lawsuits involving patent disputes. The mechanism allows local courts to transfer patent lawsuits to IP administrations for mediation, if litigants agree. A spokesman of the high court said the mechanism combines the high efficiency and low cost of administrative departments and execution of judicial departments.

Xinjiangnet.com.cn

Shanxi

Karaoke operators fined for song use

Five karaoke operators in Taiyuan were ordered to pay more than 510,000 yuan ($79,440) in compensation to the China Audio-Video Copyright Association for each using more than 100 unauthorized songs, according to a ruling from the provincial court. The association had sued the operators at Taiyuan intermediate court in 2013 and won an initial ruling. The defendants were defeated in an appeal to the higher court.

Shanxi Evening News

(China Daily 12/09/2015 page17)