New campaign to focus on IPR protection for Olympics

A nationwide campaign aiming to provide stronger intellectual property rights protection related to Olympic symbols has been launched, China's top IPR regulator said.

The campaign, jointly developed by the China National Intellectual Property Administration and the State Administration for Market Regulation, will run through the end of June, Zhang Zhicheng, head of the CNIPA's IPR Protection Department, said at a news conference on Wednesday.

Regarding the campaign as a measure to protect IPR related to Olympic logos, Zhang said it is also meant to ensure that the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games can be convened smoothly.

During the campaign, those who infringe on patents or trademarks involving Olympic symbols will face harsh penalties, and IPR-related inspections will be intensified in places where Olympic products are sold and produced, as well as in the head offices of e-commerce giants, he added.

Additionally, the administrations plan to further promote IPR-related laws to enhance public awareness and develop a rapid response system to share IPR-related information and clues related to possible infringement in a timely manner, according to Zhang.

"The campaign will improve public awareness about respecting IPR related to the Winter Olympics, and it'll also contribute to helping our country establish a worldwide reputation of strictly protecting IPR," he said.