The 15th edition of Managing IP's annual publication devoted to IP in China tracks the Middle Kingdom's shifting IP law landscape. Significant progress has been made in protecting works of applied art and curbing bad faith filing. Readers may be especially interested to learn about China's change of heart on business method patents.
Despite these changes, however, China remains a challenging, and often strange, place for IP rights holders to do business. Therefore, many of the articles in this edition also look at the intricacies of the Chinese IP system, and how to navigate your way through it. One chapter looks at trade mark use involving OEMs, another at patent evaluation reports, another at how to deal with patent infringers at exhibitions. A cautionary tale is told about Jaguar Land Rover's ill-fated attempts to protect its design patents. One article provides an excellent guide to protecting your brand in China by looking at the issue on multiple levels.
Whatever your area of practice, I'm sure you will find much of value in the 13 chapters of this edition. The full contents can be found online at managingip.com/China2017.
Shaun Tan
Asia reporter
Managing IP