Sohu sues Wanglu firm for unfair competition
By Liu Chang (China Daily)
Updated: 2004-07-21 10:41

The defendant, Beijing Wanglu Scientific Company sells software to consumers through e-mail, Sohu claimed.

"If clients of the defendant ask the company to send the software to a Sohu e-mail box, a notice will be sent to consumers, which speaks ill of Sohu," the indictment said.

Sohu claims the notice says: "Please do not use Sohu e-mail as it is very unstable and unable to receive e-mail from us."

Sohu called for compensation of 31,000 yuan (US$3,750) and a public apology from Wanglu.

The plaintiff also required the defendant to stop sending the notices that hurt Sohu's commercial reputation.

The defendant, the Wanglu company, yesterday disagreed with Sohu's charge.

The court reached no decision at the hearing.

More than 40 deputies of the National People's Congress - the country's top legislative body - the municipal People's Congress and court supervisors were present at the intellectual property rights (IPR) lawsuit yesterday.

Legislators said the court should adopt more effective measures to help the public learn about IPR laws and regulations.

People's Congress deputies also urged judges to learn more about World Trade Organization rules.

The court has made it a practice to invite deputies from various levels of people's congress to attend trials.

"The system is a good way for us to receive supervision from the People's Congress," President of the Beijing No 1 Intermediate People's Court Chi Qiang said yesterday.

Chi called for more feedback in regard to the court's work.

The invitations were first sent in response to a call from President of the Supreme People's Court Xiao Yang to make trials more open, just and transparent.

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