Lego welcomes Shanghai's crackdown on trade infringements
Multinational firms have benefited from stronger intellectual property protection regulations in Shanghai and are committing themselves in an improved business climate.
Recent court verdicts and actions have strengthened Lego Group's resolve to continue investing in the local market.
Robin Smith, Lego's vice president and general counsel for China and APAC, stated that she has witnessed capable, clever, eager, knowledgeable, and sympathetic government officials in the field of intellectual property protection.
The company has also formed a wide range of partnerships with online platforms such as Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok, to pursue trademark and copyright infringement leads.
In August 2022, Shanghai police busted gangs that produced and marketed copyrights infringing on the LEGO trademark. They also cracked down on distributors of imitation products with "BELA" emblems in Nanchang, Jiangxi Province, and Linyi, Shandong Province.
In April 2024, the Shanghai Third Intermediate Court issued a landmark decision against Longteng Company and five persons for infringing the LEGO Group's copyright.
The ruling, which addressed the unauthorized fabrication and sale of over 1,600 toy sets with designs similar to those of the LEGO Group, levied a 600 million yuan fine on Long Teng Company. The court found five people guilty and sentenced them to up to nine years in jail.
Lego has also conducted on-campus teaching programs in Xuhui District to help young students and teenagers understand the importance of trademark and intellectual property rights protection.
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