Intellectual Property and trading with China

More UK and European businesses are interested in getting their products manufactured in China. SanTranslate has recently been doing some translation for a client who wants to do just that. They’ve asked the Chinese supplier to sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA).

China Law Blog recommends doing NDAs in both English and Chinese with the Chinese version being the official one. This removes any potential argument that the supplier didn’t understand what is was signing and will be readily understandable by any Chinese court should the need arise.

They also share the tip that presenting a potential supplier with an NDA before you disclose information gives you a good opportunity to test their reaction – if they don’t want to sign, do you want to do business with them?

When your business dealings move forward you may need to consider further protection of your IP. The UK’s Intellectual Property Office has this to say about IP issues when trading with China:

“The prevalent attitude of many overseas businessmen is that registering their intellectual property rights in China does little to protect their creativity and innovation.

However China has a well-developed intellectual property system which allows you to protect your IP as you would your physical property. It is well worth remembering that if you fail to make use of the system at the outset of your venture you could find real difficulties in enforcing your rights at a later date. (One should remember that the same is true for the UK!)

As in most developed countries in China it will sometimes not be possible to protect IP rights unless they have been officially applied for and officially acknowledged or granted. Nonetheless some IP protection in China takes place automatically. For example copyright protection exists without need for its registration and provided there is some form of verifiable record of what has been created.”

The IPO’s booklet, China: an Enforcement Roadmap, provides useful guidance on the Chinese Intellectual Property protection and enforcement system. See also their China IPR SME Helpdesk.

By |2019-09-03T21:27:20+01:00May 14th, 2010|Blog|0 Comments

East Midlands Market Visit Programme 2010-2011

If you’re considering trading internationally, you could do worse than take advantage of UKTI’s Market Visits. By joining one of their overseas visits you can benefit from:

• Help with preparation and researching your chosen market;
• Networking receptions at the British Embassy, Consulate General or similar venue so you can meet your own contacts and others in an informal but prestigious atmosphere;
• Warmed-up leads, researched according to your type of business and product offering;
• Financial support to offset against costs.

The 2010-11 programme looks like this:

Saudi Arabia – Riyadh and Jeddah – 20-28 May 2010
Japan – Tokoyo – 24-31 July 2010
Russia – Krasnodar – October 2010
Turkey – November 2010
China – Southwest and Shanghai – 09-16 October 2010
Malaysia & Singapore – 09-16 October 2010
Brazil – 22-26 November 2010
Russia – Moscow St Petersburg, Yekaterinburg – February 2011
Mexico – 14-21 February 2011

You can find out more about these events and the benefits they could bring your business by calling 0845 052 4001.

And, of course, if you want to make the most of these opportunities by making a great impression why not talk to Nottingham-based SanTranslate about any translation needs you have? Don’t forget that we can boost your brand overseas with our multilingual typesetting service too.

By |2012-06-11T22:48:03+01:00May 12th, 2010|Blog|0 Comments
Go to Top