The Huazhun Paint's rights protection efforts have yielded results, and Huazhun Paint has finally become a "Well-known Trademark in China."
Xinhua News Agency reports - A "well-known trademark" refers to a trademark with high recognition and reputation at the national level. Compared with ordinary trademarks, the scope of legal protection for well-known trademarks is broader and more powerful. On April 25th, the State Administration for Industry and Commerce announced a list of newly recognized well-known trademarks. Among them, Guangdong Huazhun Paint Co., Ltd., a leading enterprise in the paint industry that has been deeply troubled by "brand squatting," was also included. The "Huazhun Paint Huarun and its logo" were recognized as a well-known trademark. Fang Xin, vice general manager of Huazhun Paint Group, said that after being selected as a "Well-known Trademark in China," Huazhun Paint would receive more legal support in protecting its brand and intellectual property.
It is understood that the international protection of well-known trademarks began after the European and American countries signed the "Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property" in 1925. The purpose of protecting well-known trademarks is to safeguard the legitimate interests of brands with high added value from infringement, protect the legitimate rights and interests of trademark owners, improve the intellectual property protection system, encourage independent innovation, optimize the innovation environment, maintain market competition order, and promote the rapid and sound development of the economy and society. Since joining the "Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property" in 1985, China has begun to fulfill its obligation to protect well-known trademarks. The revised "Trademark Law" in 2001 and the subsequently issued "Regulations for the Implementation of the Trademark Law" provided clear legal basis for the recognition and protection of well-known trademarks.
Experts point out that companies recognized as "well-known trademarks" are relatively strong in technology, quality, and corporate brand strength within their industries, and have good reputations, consumer appeal, and strong market competitiveness. Therefore, these enterprises are most likely to be counterfeited and infringed upon by illegal manufacturers. Taking Huazhun Paint as an example, in March this year, Huazhun Paint launched a nationwide campaign against "brand squatting." The legal department of Huazhun Paint Group went to various provinces and cities such as Beijing, Jiangsu, Fujian, Sichuan, Yunnan, Hubei, and Jiangxi, cooperating with local industrial and commercial departments in anti-counterfeiting and rights protection actions. By March 16, 2009, industrial and commercial departments across the country had seized more than 2,500 pieces of infringing counterfeit Huazhun Paint products, involving more than 10 types of suspected counterfeit products, with a case amount exceeding 300,000 yuan.
Fang Xin said: "In recent years, as Huazhun Paint products have improved and the company has grown larger, we have increasingly felt the growing resistance to our development. We have to develop new technologies and products while also fighting against counterfeit and substandard products and cleaning up the market environment. These have, to some extent, distracted the company's focus and severely damaged the company's economic interests and brand image. More seriously, counterfeit paint products pose a serious threat to the life and property safety of consumers."
It is understood that Huazhun Paint was founded in 1991. Through its commitment to quality and credibility, Guangdong Huazhun Paint Company has grown from a small factory into a leading enterprise with annual sales exceeding 2 billion yuan. Currently, under the Huazhun brand, there are "Huazhun Paint," "Ai's Paint," and "Century Pearl" among others. The main brand represented by "Huazhun Paint" enjoys high recognition and product market share in the Chinese paint industry. After being recognized as a well-known trademark by the national administrative authorities, the brand will further enhance its awareness and obtain special policy protection.
Regarding this, Fang Xin, vice general manager of Huazhun Paint Group, expressed: "The 'Huazhun Paint Huarun' trademark being recognized as a well-known trademark fully acknowledges and encourages Huazhun Paint's rights protection efforts, enhancing Huazhun Paint's international profile and brand influence. With the legal weapon as a guarantee, Huazhun will have more confidence in future intellectual property rights protection and rights protection efforts. At the same time, we will take this opportunity to make full use of the special protection policies for well-known trademarks and spare no effort in brand building. While consistently adhering to quality and credibility, we will continue to pursue rights protection actions to provide truly high-quality products to consumers."
[Reference Link](http://news.xinhuanet.com/house/2009-05/07/content_11330028.htm)