Crackdown on fake Shanghai Expo goods

By Wang Hongyi and Qian Yanfeng (China Daily)
Updated: 2009-04-22 10:10

SHANGHAI: Fake souvenirs and other bogus products will be targeted in a crackdown on copyright infringement ahead of the 2010 Shanghai World Expo.

The Shanghai industry and commerce bureau will work with police and other government departments to protect the expo logo and related trademarks during the campaign.

"Several cases of Shanghai World Expo 2010 logo infringements have already been investigated," said Chen Zhong, of the Shanghai industry and commerce bureau.

The campaign includes plans to bolster patrols and supervision of markets and to launch a complaint hotline for consumers.

A group of companies in the Shanghai Pudong Airport has already showed its support by promising not to sell counterfeit products.

Earlier this month, the bureau investigated 76 trademark violation cases and confiscated 14,521 fake goods in a crackdown on piracy, counterfeits, and trademark infringements.

Last year, the bureau investigated 2964 trademark infringement cases and confiscated 1.65 million infringing goods.

The bureau also handled 126 cases involving the trademark rights of Olympic symbols last year, and issued more than 300,000 yuan ($43,000) in fines.