June 2016

It is easy to find published articles that speak of the shortcomings of Chinese law enforcement in the trademark arena. “Unfair,” “unreliable,” and “unbelievable” are all common descriptions of the Chinese infrastructure meant to deal with trademark infringement. But are all of these articles fair and reliable themselves? Consider this hypothetical… A western company from …

Intellectual Property in China: a Western Misconception Read More »

PM 2.5 is a substantial problem in China. The Ministry of Environmental Protection has reported that, of the 74 major Chinese cities that are monitored, an average of 62.4% of days in January failed to meet quality standards. However, as mentioned in parts one and two of China’s Air Quality, the issue is being addressed. …

China’s Air Quality – Part Three Read More »

A quick glace through many different law blogs about China shows that there is a lot of talk about a NNN. Not only that, but many posts discuss how you shouldn’t use a NDA, but instead use a NNN. So the first question should be, what is a NNN? Let’s start by saying what the …

What is a NNN? Read More »

As a law student, I am frequently asked “What does the law say about _______?” or “ I read once that the law says that______ should happen, but it didn’t in this case. Why?” And I am nearly always forced to say something along the lines of “it’s complicated” or “it depends on the facts …

The Written Law vs The Actual Law Read More »

Air is everywhere. Unless you’re an astronaut or an alien in outer space, you breathe air. You need it to live, and so do a lot of other things. Puppies. Panda bears. Grumpy looking cats. Whether you’re in China for business large or small, you will be breathing the air. In many parts of China, …

China’s Air Quality – Part One Read More »

As mentioned in part one of this little series on China’s air quality, Article 22 of the Law of the People’s Republic of China on the Prevention and Control of Atmospheric Pollution called for the establishment a monitoring system for atmospheric pollution. This system allows hourly, monthly, and annual AQI reports to be publically disclosed …

China’s Air Quality – Part Two Read More »

The relationship between China and the United States has never been closer, and economic benefit is clearly experienced by both countries. China is now the largest trading partner of the United States, and the same can be said regarding the United States for China. As more and more U.S. companies look to enjoy a piece …

China’s Patent Enforcement: an Opportunity Read More »

The earliest forms of IP law in China may be traced back to the Qing Dynasty. In the late 1800’s patent letters were issued granting monopolies to certain businesses for specific activities. The protected authority these letters granted ranged from the selling of specific items, to providing specific services.  In support of these patent letters …

Realizing the Value of Innovation: Chinese History & the Dawn of Intellectual Property Read More »

There are a lot of people who want to come to China for a variety of reasons. Business people want to open factories, or maybe they would like to find a supplier for their business. Professionals want to expand their client base and maybe even open a branch office as well. For all of these …

Coming to China? Bring Your Own Interpreter Read More »