https://www.scmp.com/rss/326910/feed en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Vincent Chow Vincent Chow ByteDance has bolstered its controversial video-generation model Seedance 2.0 with “advanced” watermarking and intellectual property (IP) protection guardrails ahead of its global roll-out, the TikTok owner has said. The much-anticipated international release comes amid intense scrutiny from Hollywood studios over alleged IP theft after numerous Seedance-generated videos featuring famous Hollywood actors and characters went viral in February. On Wednesday, ByteDance said its global safety and... https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3348290/bytedance-bolsters-seedance-20-watermarking-ip-safeguards-ahead-global-roll-out?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3348290/bytedance-bolsters-seedance-20-watermarking-ip-safeguards-ahead-global-roll-out?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 29 Mar 2026 09:00:13 +0000 Luna Sun Luna Sun A budget bubble tea chain from China best known for its cheap ice creams and drinks may soon be adding roller coasters and immersive shows to its menu. Mixue, boasting more stores than McDonald’s and growing rapidly outside China, is planning to build a theme park at its headquarters in Zhengzhou, the capital of central China’s Henan province. The park will be based on its Snow King mascot, a singing snowman that has become one of Chinese retailing’s most recognisable intellectual properties... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3346502/chinese-bubble-tea-chain-mixue-straps-theme-park-project?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3346502/chinese-bubble-tea-chain-mixue-straps-theme-park-project?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Mar 2026 02:00:07 +0000 Coco Feng Coco Feng A US trade panel investigating a patent dispute between GoPro and Chinese rival Insta360 found a violation involving design applied to outdated cameras of the Chinese firm, effectively allowing it to remain in the US market without any restrictions. The case centred on six patents held by GoPro. The US International Trade Commission (ITC) on Thursday determined violation of one patent relating to camera design, and issued orders “prohibiting the unlicensed importation by Insta360 of certain... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3344875/us-trade-panel-rules-insta360-infringed-gopro-design-no-impact-current-offerings?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3344875/us-trade-panel-rules-insta360-infringed-gopro-design-no-impact-current-offerings?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Feb 2026 13:30:07 +0000 Cao Li Cao Li At Pop Mart’s shop in Hong Kong’s bustling Causeway Bay shopping district, a display of the toymaker’s newly launched character, Merodi, drew little attention on Friday morning. “A few people are buying it,” a salesperson said. “It’s not very well known yet.” The new series, Merodi After School, features a mischievous little girl with the magical ability to talk to animals. It was created by Taiwanese artist Will Chen Wei-hua. The launch came two months after Pop Mart’s previous debut,... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3344856/merodi-debut-hong-kong-shows-pop-marts-struggle-beyond-ip-darling-labubu?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3344856/merodi-debut-hong-kong-shows-pop-marts-struggle-beyond-ip-darling-labubu?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Feb 2026 08:45:18 +0000 Coco Feng Coco Feng Major Chinese technology companies, including ByteDance and Baidu, are aggressively expanding their US-based research and development teams, targeting high-level artificial intelligence and semiconductor recruits in key American tech hubs. The overseas hiring spree underscores these “big tech” firms’ growing ambitions to build up their skilled workforce in AI systems development and semiconductor design amid increased competition in their home market. Social media giant ByteDance, the parent... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3344212/chinas-tech-giants-pursue-ai-semiconductor-talent-us-competition-intensifies?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3344212/chinas-tech-giants-pursue-ai-semiconductor-talent-us-competition-intensifies?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 21 Feb 2026 13:00:09 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen China submitted the highest number of patent applications in 2024, leading global intellectual property activity, a new report shows. A total of 1.8 million patent applications were filed in China last year, accounting for nearly half of the global total and more than three times the number submitted to the United States, according to the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO). The US is ranked second on the list, followed by Japan, South Korea and Germany. Meanwhile, China issued over... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3332555/china-dominates-global-patent-race-record-filings?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3332555/china-dominates-global-patent-race-record-filings?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 12 Nov 2025 19:46:38 +0000 Xinyi Wu Xinyi Wu The Section 337 investigation is one of the United States’ most potent legal weapons for policing intellectual property disputes. Conducted by the US International Trade Commission (USITC), they can lead to the total exclusion of a product from the American market. And the tool is often used to target China: more than 40 per cent of the Section 337 investigations completed in 2024 involved a Chinese company, according to USITC data. In September, the commission launched a probe into smart... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3328064/what-are-section-337-investigations-and-why-china-so-concerned-about-them?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3328064/what-are-section-337-investigations-and-why-china-so-concerned-about-them?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Oct 2025 13:00:08 +0000 Xinyi Wu Xinyi Wu China’s push to become a biotech powerhouse is paying off, with innovative R&D pipelines and newly approved drugs accounting for over 30 per cent of the global total, according to the country’s top economic planner. The sector was showing strong momentum, said Xiang Libin, deputy chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), who cited the figures at the 17th China Bioindustry Convention in Wuhan, Hubei province, on Thursday. China’s bioeconomy, encompassing the research,... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3324465/china-closes-biotech-gap-us-new-drugs-rd-pipelines-top-30-global-total?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3324465/china-closes-biotech-gap-us-new-drugs-rd-pipelines-top-30-global-total?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Sep 2025 07:30:16 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial The “one country, two systems” model has served Hong Kong and mainland China well for more than a quarter of a century. Under this governing formula, Hong Kong needs to seek endorsement from the central government in some areas. One ongoing effort relates to the intellectual property (IP) economy – which includes the creative industries – that plays a key role in the city’s growth and employment. In an exclusive wide-ranging interview, Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development Algernon Yau... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3324301/global-ip-treaty-can-help-hong-kong-secure-its-creative-edge?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3324301/global-ip-treaty-can-help-hong-kong-secure-its-creative-edge?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Sep 2025 23:15:08 +0000 Hannah Wang Hannah Wang Chinese chip equipment maker Beijing E-Town Semiconductor Technology has slapped US rival Applied Materials with a lawsuit over a trade secret infringement, demanding 99.99 million yuan (US$14 million) as compensation. Applied Materials “illegally obtained and used the company’s core technology secrets” related to proprietary wafer surface treatment technology, according to Beijing E-Town’s filing on Wednesday to the Shanghai Stock Exchange. The Chinese firm accused Applied Materials of applying... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-war/article/3321890/beijing-e-town-semiconductor-sues-applied-materials-over-trade-secret-infringement?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-war/article/3321890/beijing-e-town-semiconductor-sues-applied-materials-over-trade-secret-infringement?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 14 Aug 2025 12:00:21 +0000 Ben Jiang Ben Jiang Chinese authorities have rejected OpenAI’s attempt to register the name of its new flagship artificial intelligence model, GPT-5, as a trademark on the mainland, where the ChatGPT creator’s products and services are not officially available. According to records on the website of the Trademark Office, under the China National Intellectual Property Administration, the US firm’s application through subsidiary OpenAI OpCo was denied and is pending appeal. That was the latest rejection handed by the... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3321589/china-rejects-openais-gpt-5-trademark-application-blow-us-firms-branding-efforts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3321589/china-rejects-openais-gpt-5-trademark-application-blow-us-firms-branding-efforts?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 12 Aug 2025 10:00:24 +0000 Yuke Xie Yuke Xie Chinese toymaker Pop Mart International is suing several 7-Eleven store operators in California for selling alleged counterfeits of its signature Labubu merchandise and infringing on its trademarks. The group’s Beijing, Singapore and US-based units, which hold the trademarks and copyrights, are seeking injunctions to stop 7-Eleven Inc and seven convenience store owners or franchisees from continuing to commit the offence, according to the July 18 complaint in a California district court. It is... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3319449/pop-mart-sues-7-eleven-store-owners-us-alleging-labubu-trademark-infringements?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3319449/pop-mart-sues-7-eleven-store-owners-us-alleging-labubu-trademark-infringements?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 24 Jul 2025 09:29:55 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The European Union has obtained a mostly favourable ruling in one of its continuing trade disputes with China over intellectual property, according to a decision published by the World Trade Organization (WTO) on Monday. Brussels first brought its case against China to the WTO three years ago, charging that Beijing was preventing European tech companies from using foreign courts to defend their patents. A panel of WTO experts set up in December 2022 to examine the case issued a ruling last April... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3319061/wto-reverses-parts-previous-decision-eu-china-intellectual-property-dispute?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3319061/wto-reverses-parts-previous-decision-eu-china-intellectual-property-dispute?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 21 Jul 2025 16:47:20 +0000 Junjie Wang Junjie Wang / https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3317783/labubu-goes-viral?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3317783/labubu-goes-viral?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 11 Jul 2025 02:47:58 +0000 David Chao David Chao Who could have predicted the meteoric rise of the Labubu doll, which has gained cult status globally after capturing hearts in China? At a recent Beijing auction, a Labubu figurine sold for over 1 million yuan (US$139,350), cementing its place as a pop culture phenomenon. The global craze may prove fleeting. But the significance of the Labubu phenomenon lies in what it reveals about China’s consumer culture as it evolves to become more expressive, brand-savvy and globally influential. No longer... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3316162/global-labubu-craze-reflects-chinas-creative-and-consumption-ambitions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3316162/global-labubu-craze-reflects-chinas-creative-and-consumption-ambitions?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Jun 2025 21:30:07 +0000 Yuke Xie Yuke Xie The rise of Pop Mart’s The Monsters series, as well as new games and animations reimagining mythological figures like the Monkey King and Ne Zha, has driven rapid growth in China’s intellectual property (IP) industry in recent years, with analysts saying the trend is likely to continue. “While the economy is sluggish, it continues to grow and generate consumption,” wrote Ivan Su, a senior equity analyst for Morningstar. “This increasing growth in China will help lead to the creation of and... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3315506/monsters-monkey-king-and-ne-zha-chinas-ip-driven-businesses-brace-growth?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3315506/monsters-monkey-king-and-ne-zha-chinas-ip-driven-businesses-brace-growth?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Jun 2025 00:30:08 +0000 Mandy Zuo Mandy Zuo As Chinese companies ponder how best to market their products internationally, the example set by Pop Mart – the Beijing-based brand behind the viral Labubu toy – has been praised by the country’s state media for the creativity that underlies its success. The wide-mouthed, bug-eyed toy’s global fan base is evidence of a shift in priorities for China as it transforms from a producer of low-value goods to a hub of innovation, Qiushi, the Communist Party’s top theoretical journal, said in a... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3314169/chinas-viral-labubu-toy-has-unlikely-fan-ruling-communist-party?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3314169/chinas-viral-labubu-toy-has-unlikely-fan-ruling-communist-party?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Jun 2025 11:00:17 +0000 Yuke Xie Yuke Xie Chinese toymaker Pop Mart, whose shares have surged more than 470 per cent over the past year on the back of its popular intellectual properties (IPs), has launched a pop culture magazine called Playground. The biannual publication, launched last week, featured actress and singer-songwriter Leah Dou on its cover. The first edition explores the theme of social connections and offers a selection of photos, comic strips and other visuals related to the topic. “We decided on social because it kind... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3308554/hot-chinese-toymaker-pop-mart-launches-new-pop-culture-magazine-called-playground?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3308554/hot-chinese-toymaker-pop-mart-launches-new-pop-culture-magazine-called-playground?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 30 Apr 2025 23:30:08 +0000 The Office of the US Trade Representative released a 400-page report detailing the trade barrier policies of 59 foreign countries, regions and trading blocs on March 31. China accounted for around 50 pages, with the trade agency calling out its “Made in China 2025” industrial plan and alleging intellectual property theft. The release of the annual “National Trade Estimate Report on Foreign Trade Barriers” on Monday preceded “Liberation Day” on April 2, when US President Donald Trump announced... https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3304979/ustrs-comments-china-latest-trade-barriers-report?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3304979/ustrs-comments-china-latest-trade-barriers-report?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 03 Apr 2025 08:09:01 +0000 China has unveiled a new weapon that it says is to fight discrimination against its citizens or organisations in international intellectual property disputes. The State Council, the country’s cabinet, said a new IP rule would come into effect on May 1 as part of a set of regulations on the settlement of foreign-related intellectual property disputes, and would counter attempts at external “containment and suppression” in such cases. Although the regulation does not single out any country, it... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3303024/china-issues-rule-strike-back-international-intellectual-property-disputes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3303024/china-issues-rule-strike-back-international-intellectual-property-disputes?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 19 Mar 2025 10:22:11 +0000 A court in eastern China’s Jiangsu province has ruled in favour of copyright protection for artificial intelligence-generated content, marking the second case of its kind in mainland China as the technology continues to raise questions about intellectual property rights. In a ruling made public on Friday, the Changshu People’s Court said that a picture generated with the AI tool Midjourney qualified as a copyright-protected work for its originality, as the human user “demonstrated unique... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3302117/east-china-court-rules-ai-generated-image-should-have-copyright-protection?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3302117/east-china-court-rules-ai-generated-image-should-have-copyright-protection?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 12 Mar 2025 13:30:08 +0000 Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva cast China in a harsh light on Friday, assigning blame to Beijing, along with American and European companies, for practices that have allowed the country to pull off rapid technological advances. Discussing Brazil’s international relations in a radio interview, Lula said China has become a technological powerhouse by “copying everything” produced by foreign companies in the 1980s and improving upon Western products, thereby “giving a lesson to... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3298797/brazils-lula-chides-beijing-eu-us-practices-gave-china-its-tech-edge?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3298797/brazils-lula-chides-beijing-eu-us-practices-gave-china-its-tech-edge?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 14 Feb 2025 21:01:25 +0000 Reuters Reuters Fast-growing speciality e-commerce sites such as PDD Holdings’ Temu and its rival Shein are branching deeper into the business of selling toys, as many American and European shoppers prepare to seek out steep bargains during the Black Friday weekend. In previous years, Temu and Shein – which sell primarily from smartphone-based apps – would not have been the usual places for shoppers to buy toys and other holiday gifts. The sites face concerns from regulators and US-based consumer product makers... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3288677/temu-shein-branch-deeper-selling-toys-during-holiday-shopping-season?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3288677/temu-shein-branch-deeper-selling-toys-during-holiday-shopping-season?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 29 Nov 2024 07:39:59 +0000 Intellectual property (IP) represents one of the most valuable yet underutilised assets for small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) and start-ups. As Hong Kong positions itself as a regional IP trading hub and international innovation and technology centre, it’s crucial that local SMEs and start-ups leverage the city’s advantages: a robust legal system, strong IP protection, abundant financial resources, huge potential for commercialisation and a wealth of IP expertise. The Hong Kong... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3287895/how-ip-can-unlock-new-horizons-hong-kongs-small-businesses?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3287895/how-ip-can-unlock-new-horizons-hong-kongs-small-businesses?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 27 Nov 2024 01:30:09 +0000 Iris Deng Iris Deng The US International Trade Commission (ITC) has ruled that Innoscience Technology, a Chinese maker of gallium-nitride-on-silicon (GaN-on-Si) power chips, infringed upon a patent of American rival Efficient Power Conversion Corp (EPC), clouding the Suzhou-based firm’s prospects of going public in Hong Kong. Innoscience was found to have infringed on one of the challenged patents held by EPC, according to the ITC’s final determination released on Thursday. The agency issued a limited exclusion... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3285850/chinese-gan-power-chipmaker-innoscience-found-have-infringed-us-rivals-patent?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3285850/chinese-gan-power-chipmaker-innoscience-found-have-infringed-us-rivals-patent?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 09 Nov 2024 01:00:12 +0000 China’s economy is undergoing a profound transformation, marked by a series of reforms and stimulus measures aimed at stabilising growth and charting a course for sustainable development. While these initiatives represent a significant step forward, they are just the opening moves in a more complex and nuanced economic strategy. The path to sustainable growth in China requires a multifaceted approach that extends far beyond immediate fiscal and monetary interventions. It must address fundamental... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3281644/chinas-stimulus-measures-just-first-step-economic-reform-journey?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3281644/chinas-stimulus-measures-just-first-step-economic-reform-journey?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 10 Oct 2024 14:30:09 +0000 When neuroscientist Jane Wu ended her life in her Chicago home in July following alleged US scrutiny of her ties to Beijing, the incident revived discussions about the targeting of Chinese scientists in America and highlighted the deteriorating US-China relationship. Wu was the Dr Charles L. Mix Research Professor at Northwestern’s Feinberg School of Medicine. Much of the funding for her decades-long research that focused on RNA splicing and regulatory RNA-binding proteins – processes that are... https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3277006/us-scrutiny-chinese-scientists-leads-tragic-end-one?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3277006/us-scrutiny-chinese-scientists-leads-tragic-end-one?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Sep 2024 09:08:15 +0000 Hong Kong customs has raided 31 party rooms and a restaurant where karaoke songs that allegedly infringed copyright had been played with online streaming technology were discovered for the first time. Officers arrested 18 people and seized HK$1.1 million (US$141,000) worth of equipment during a citywide operation this month. “With the summer holiday beginning in July, we discovered party rooms and restaurants that provided karaoke songs for customers that infringed copyright law,” Shek Ka-yin,... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3272073/hong-kong-customs-arrests-18-raids-karaoke-rooms-allegedly-playing-songs-illegally?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3272073/hong-kong-customs-arrests-18-raids-karaoke-rooms-allegedly-playing-songs-illegally?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 26 Jul 2024 12:55:06 +0000 Oscar Liu Oscar Liu Hong Kong and Peru have concluded talks over a bilateral free-trade deal that also covers investment and intellectual property, according to the financial secretary, which once signed will add to the eight existing such pacts the city has in place. Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po, who on Thursday attended a celebration of the 203rd anniversary of the independence of Peru, announced both sides reached the milestone on Tuesday, adding the agreement would strengthen business and financial... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3271919/hong-kong-and-peru-conclude-talks-free-trade-pact-finance-minister-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3271919/hong-kong-and-peru-conclude-talks-free-trade-pact-finance-minister-says?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 25 Jul 2024 15:14:45 +0000 The Hong Kong government is canvassing views on ways to boost copyright law to protect artificial intelligence development as part of an effort to make the city a regional intellectual property trading centre. Authorities said major legislative amendments could not be justified in a consultation document released by the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau on Monday. But the bureau floated the idea of allowing wider use of copyrighted work in the development and training of AI models. Here... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3269816/how-can-hong-kong-use-legislation-ai-foster-city-intellectual-property-trading-hub?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3269816/how-can-hong-kong-use-legislation-ai-foster-city-intellectual-property-trading-hub?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 10 Jul 2024 02:30:09 +0000 Hong Kong is seeking views on ways to enhance the copyright law to protect artificial intelligence (AI) development, including the need to allow the specific use of online copyrighted content processed with the technology, as part of a two-month consultation launched by authorities. Authorities hope to modernise the Copyright Ordinance to keep pace with the latest AI developments as the city aims to become a regional intellectual property (IP) trading centre. A spokesman for the Commerce and... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3269660/hong-kong-seeks-changes-copyright-law-bolster-ai-development?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3269660/hong-kong-seeks-changes-copyright-law-bolster-ai-development?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 08 Jul 2024 14:31:42 +0000 Novo Nordisk on Tuesday said its hugely popular weight-loss drug Wegovy has been approved in China, the world’s second-largest economy and the country estimated to hold the highest number of overweight or obese people. Denmark-based Novo will communicate details on pricing and availability when it launches, the company said in a statement. The 100-year-old firm said in March it would initially target Chinese patients willing to pay out-of-pocket for the weekly injectable drug. Raffles Hospital... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3268018/china-approves-wegovy-weight-loss-drug-produced-danish-pharmaceutical-firm-novo-nordisk?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3268018/china-approves-wegovy-weight-loss-drug-produced-danish-pharmaceutical-firm-novo-nordisk?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 25 Jun 2024 12:41:41 +0000 A Swiss sinologist who has spent much of his career introducing Chinese philosophy to the West has filed a lawsuit on alleged plagiarism against one of his former students and a prominent Chinese academic publisher. Professor Iso Kern, 87, said the Dongcheng District Court in Beijing had formally accepted the case in March and he was now awaiting a trial date. According to legal documents seen by the South China Morning Post, Kern is suing the two defendants for infringement of copyright: Ni... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3266920/swiss-philosopher-iso-kern-sues-former-chinese-student-ni-liangkang-alleged-plagiarism?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3266920/swiss-philosopher-iso-kern-sues-former-chinese-student-ni-liangkang-alleged-plagiarism?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 17 Jun 2024 12:00:14 +0000 Chinese walkie-talkie maker Hytera Communications Corp has resumed global sales and distribution of its two-way radio products after a United States court temporarily lifted an injunction, which barred the company from selling those devices as part of a years-long trade-secrets dispute with rival Motorola Solutions. The US Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit on Tuesday suspended the global sales injunction, worldwide notice requirement and further accumulation of US$1-million-per-day fines... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3259343/chinese-walkie-talkie-maker-hytera-resumes-sales-two-way-radio-products-after-us-court-suspends?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3259343/chinese-walkie-talkie-maker-hytera-resumes-sales-two-way-radio-products-after-us-court-suspends?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 17 Apr 2024 10:30:24 +0000 China is gradually becoming more efficient and speedier in reviewing its world-leading annual patent applications, in line with broader efforts to spearhead tech innovation amid a heightened global tech race. However, concerns persist over the lack of original innovation and the uneven development of its extensive patent portfolio that continues to outpace the international field. The China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA), the country’s top IP regulator, intends to shorten... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3258849/chinas-world-leading-patent-applications-being-sped-scrutinised-boost-key-industries?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3258849/chinas-world-leading-patent-applications-being-sped-scrutinised-boost-key-industries?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 12 Apr 2024 15:00:20 +0000 After inventing a system to counter ransomware, Paul Lewis started the data protection company Calamu in 2019 at his kitchen table in the US state of New Jersey. Over the past four years, through the pandemic and rounds of venture financing, he has received two international and several US patents to protect his intellectual property. But he cannot help noticing how quickly and aggressively China is advancing in technology. “China is a different animal,” he said. “It’s a fight against the US and... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3256671/china-and-us-battle-quietly-fiercely-yet-another-tech-front-patent-applications?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3256671/china-and-us-battle-quietly-fiercely-yet-another-tech-front-patent-applications?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 25 Mar 2024 22:00:25 +0000 Chinese smartphone maker Oppo and Finnish electronics giant Nokia said they had struck a global patent licensing deal, ending a years-long legal battle over cellular patent rates that spanned continents. The two companies had been engaged in multiple patent lawsuits across 12 countries since 2021, as they failed to agree on the price for Oppo to use Nokia’s 5G patent portfolios on the Chinese firm’s smartphones. In some markets, court rulings in favour of Nokia have resulted in Oppo being banned... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3249623/china-smartphone-maker-oppo-ends-protracted-legal-battle-nokia-agrees-pay-5g-royalties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3249623/china-smartphone-maker-oppo-ends-protracted-legal-battle-nokia-agrees-pay-5g-royalties?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 24 Jan 2024 11:00:20 +0000 A Chinese court’s decision recognising the copyright of an image generated via artificial intelligence (AI) aims to encourage such creations and provide a boost to this nascent industry, according to the judge who made the landmark ruling. In the first judgment of its kind in mainland China, the Beijing Internet Court last November ruled that a picture, generated via the text-to-image software Stable Diffusion, should be considered an artwork under the protection of copyright laws, because of... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3248510/why-chinese-courts-landmark-decision-recognising-copyright-ai-generated-image-benefits-creators?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3248510/why-chinese-courts-landmark-decision-recognising-copyright-ai-generated-image-benefits-creators?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 15 Jan 2024 11:30:27 +0000 This article was first published by The Korea Times in a partnership with the South China Morning Post. China’s e-commerce giants are now the fastest-growing online platforms for Korean shoppers, but they are still grappling with problems of long delivery time and unstable product quality, according to consumers and retail industry officials. Alibaba Group Holding and PDD, two of the largest e-commerce companies in China, have been aggressively expanding their foothold in South Korea, offering... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3247710/alibabas-aliexpress-pdd-owned-temu-face-supply-chain-challenges-south-korea-amid-rapid-business?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3247710/alibabas-aliexpress-pdd-owned-temu-face-supply-chain-challenges-south-korea-amid-rapid-business?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 09 Jan 2024 02:00:13 +0000 The Beijing Internet Court has recognised the copyright for a piece of artificial intelligence-generated content (AIGC) in the first ruling of its kind in mainland China, where a growing number of enterprises are caught up in a frenzy to advance use of the technology in transforming industries and improving people’s daily lives. In a decision issued on Monday, the court said that a picture, generated via US start-up StabilityAI’s text-to-image software Stable Diffusion, should be considered an... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3243570/beijing-courts-ruling-ai-generated-content-can-be-covered-copyright-eschews-us-stand-far-reaching?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3243570/beijing-courts-ruling-ai-generated-content-can-be-covered-copyright-eschews-us-stand-far-reaching?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 01 Dec 2023 13:01:11 +0000 Huawei Technologies and Xiaomi Corp, two of China’s largest smartphone vendors, have set aside their intellectual property (IP) dispute to forge a global patent cross-licensing deal that covers multiple communications technologies including 5G, which could help bolster the expansion initiatives of both companies. “This licensing agreement once again reflects the industry’s recognition of Huawei’s contributions to communications standards and will help us enhance our investment in researching... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3234571/chinese-smartphone-giants-huawei-and-xiaomi-reach-global-patent-cross-licensing-deal-fuelling-both?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3234571/chinese-smartphone-giants-huawei-and-xiaomi-reach-global-patent-cross-licensing-deal-fuelling-both?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 14 Sep 2023 13:00:33 +0000 Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei Technologies has inked a new deal with Swedish counterpart Ericsson that gives the duo rights to use each other’s cellular technologies in network gear and consumer devices, in the latest effort by the Shenzhen-based firm to turn its patents into money. Huawei announced on Friday that its new patent cross-licensing agreement with Ericsson will cover patents essential to various standards for 3G, 4G and 5G technologies globally. Huawei said that it would be... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3232290/huawei-renews-3g-4g-and-5g-licensing-deal-swedish-telecoms-rival-ericsson-bid-monetise-its-tech?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3232290/huawei-renews-3g-4g-and-5g-licensing-deal-swedish-telecoms-rival-ericsson-bid-monetise-its-tech?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 25 Aug 2023 07:58:29 +0000 At a shopping centre or in the comfort of home, music accompanies us everywhere. But have you ever imagined being able to earn royalties on your favourite songs? The phrase “copyright trading” has become increasingly popular, even appearing for the first time in Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu’s policy address last year, after China’s 14th five-year plan envisioned Hong Kong becoming a centre for regional intellectual property trading and international cultural exchange. While we... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3228988/culture-and-finance-intersect-chance-invest-music-royalties-and-support-cantopop?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3228988/culture-and-finance-intersect-chance-invest-music-royalties-and-support-cantopop?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 29 Jul 2023 00:15:09 +0000 Chinese technology giant Huawei Technologies is looking to squeeze more revenue out of its massive patent portfolio, revealing 4G and Wi-fi rates for the first time, as it tries to maintain growth in the face of US sanctions. The telecoms gear maker collected about US$560 million from patent royalties in 2022, exceeding its expenses from licensing tech from other companies, Alan Fan, vice-president and head of intellectual property (IP) at Huawei, announced during an event at the company’s... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3227564/huawei-reveals-4g-wi-fi-6-rates-it-looks-leverage-vast-patent-pool-bolster-revenue?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3227564/huawei-reveals-4g-wi-fi-6-rates-it-looks-leverage-vast-patent-pool-bolster-revenue?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 13 Jul 2023 10:30:14 +0000 China is out to crack down on “bad faith” practices and stimulate investment with proposed changes to its Trademark Law in a latest bid to improve intellectual property protection and address the concerns of businesses. Earlier this year, the United States said China continues to be the top source of counterfeit products in the world, with Chinese intellectual property theft costing US$225 billion to US$600 billion per year to the US economy alone, according to a congressional estimate in... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3226147/china-tackling-bad-faith-trademark-hoarding-squatting-rules-protect-ip-be-more-attractive-investment?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3226147/china-tackling-bad-faith-trademark-hoarding-squatting-rules-protect-ip-be-more-attractive-investment?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 02 Jul 2023 00:00:18 +0000 A purported new “home-grown” chip introduced by a Chinese computer hardware producer this month is suspected to be a rebadged integrated circuit (IC) from Intel Corp, according to a report by online tech news site Tom’s Hardware, based on the results of a central processing unit (CPU) benchmark testing via online cross-platform utility Geekbench. Testing site Geekbench, a platform run by Canadian software developer Primate Labs, published the key parameters of Shenzhen-based Powerleader’s... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3222337/intel-inside-chinese-firm-powerleaders-home-grown-chip-suspected-being-rebadged-microprocessor-us?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3222337/intel-inside-chinese-firm-powerleaders-home-grown-chip-suspected-being-rebadged-microprocessor-us?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 30 May 2023 12:00:31 +0000 China’s growing demand for semiconductors used in electric vehicles, high-end servers in data centres and artificial intelligence applications provides a vast opportunity for RISC-V processors to flourish, according to a proponent of the open-source, royalty-free chip design, even as integrated circuits (ICs) built on proprietary Arm and x86 architectures continue to dominate the global market. That assessment was made by Peng Jianying, chief executive of Shanghai-based RISC-V intellectual... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3221027/chinas-semiconductor-developers-eye-shift-risc-v-architecture-amid-growing-chip-demand-cars-data?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3221027/chinas-semiconductor-developers-eye-shift-risc-v-architecture-amid-growing-chip-demand-cars-data?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 18 May 2023 11:30:15 +0000 The estate of renowned Hong Kong martial arts novelist Louis Cha Leung-yung, widely known by his pen name Jin Yong, has won a copyright lawsuit against mainland Chinese fan fiction writer Yang Zhi, who used the names of popular characters found in the works of the late wuxia author. The final judgment of the Guangzhou Intellectual Property Court ruled that Yang’s 2002 novel There They Were, known as Ci Jian De Shao Nian in Chinese, constituted copyright infringement and unfair competition,... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3220526/hong-kong-wuxia-novelist-louis-cha-jin-yong-gets-posthumous-victory-copyright-lawsuit-against?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3220526/hong-kong-wuxia-novelist-louis-cha-jin-yong-gets-posthumous-victory-copyright-lawsuit-against?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 14 May 2023 09:54:39 +0000 Top Chinese display panel manufacturer BOE Technology Group has slapped rival Samsung Electronics with a series of patent-infringement lawsuits, ratcheting up the intellectual property dispute between the two major Apple suppliers ahead of the launch of new iPhones later this year. Beijing-based BOE and two of its subsidiaries recently filed six lawsuits against the South Korean tech conglomerate and its five Chinese entities – mostly display panel and semiconductor companies – at the Chongqing... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3220069/chinas-top-display-maker-boe-slaps-samsung-patent-infringement-lawsuits-heating-rivalry-between-two?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3220069/chinas-top-display-maker-boe-slaps-samsung-patent-infringement-lawsuits-heating-rivalry-between-two?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 10 May 2023 11:00:11 +0000 Although the US Justice Department’s China Initiative – which fuelled mistrust toward Asian-Americans – may have ended, the community would be wise to brace for even greater discrimination, violence and hate in the near future, speakers at a conference warned Saturday. The 2024 presidential election and a string of US-China geopolitical issues – including recent news of a Chinese surveillance balloon crossing the US and reports of de facto Chinese police stations operating on US and Canadian... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3219660/asian-americans-should-prepare-more-hate-committee-warns?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3219660/asian-americans-should-prepare-more-hate-committee-warns?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 06 May 2023 22:43:49 +0000