The trademark infringement case of Apple's iPad has taken another turn, with the first-instance court ruling against Apple in the trademark ownership confirmation case. Subsequently, Apple decided to appeal. Before the second trial commenced, actions from all parties involved did not cease. Apple maintained its usual silence, while Wei Guan chose to escalate the situation again. Yesterday, Xie Xianghui, the attorney representing Chengdu Wei Guan, revealed to the "Everyday Economic News" that Chengdu Wei Guan had applied for an injunction at the Pudong New Area Court in Chengdu, requesting a ban on the sale of products bearing the Apple iPad trademark within the Chengdu region. According to relevant regulations, the injunction could be issued as soon as 48 hours after the application. Previously, Wei Guan in Chengdu and Chengdu had filed lawsuits demanding penalties for Apple's "infringement behavior." Additionally, since the end of last year, Wei Guan Technology has sued local Apple dealers in the Shenzhen Futian District People's Court and Huizhou Intermediate People's Court, demanding they cease selling infringing products. The series of challenges from Chengdu Wei Guan stemmed from "Apple choosing to continue its appeal, while simultaneously continuing to sell iPad products. Our goal is to prevent Apple from continuing its infringement," said Xie Xianghui. However, Wei Guan faces no small challenge. You Yunting, a partner at Dabang Law Firm in Chengdu (), pointed out that first, Apple only lost in the first-instance trial, and the first-instance judgment does not take effect until after Apple appeals, meaning the judgment can only serve as a reference for the court and cannot be used as evidence. If the court were to issue an injunction, the main basis would still be the trademark registration certificate held by Wei Guan. "The pre-litigation injunction applied for by Wei Guan should refer to the pre-litigation injunction in intellectual property cases. Chinese courts conduct strict reviews of such injunctions, which are generally only issued when the infringement facts are obvious and serious, and only when failing to issue the injunction would cause irreparable damage to the rights holder. Clearly, Wei Guan does not meet these requirements," said You Yunting. Despite the lack of optimism from a legal perspective, news from the industrial and commercial administration might exert some pressure on Apple. Yesterday, the "Everyday Economic News" learned from relevant channels that Wei Guan had complained to the Xicheng District Administration for Industry and Commerce in Chengdu, and the Xicheng Administration had accepted the case. Moreover, participants in the related investigation included the Jinan City Administration for Industry and Commerce in Sichuan Province and the Xuzhou City Administration for Industry and Commerce in Jiangsu Province, both of which consulted Wei Guan Technology and sought information regarding the administrative investigation into the iPad trademark infringement case. The "Everyday Economic News" learned that the number of administrations involved in the investigation was continuously expanding. Apple will face a crackdown at the industrial and commercial level in China. As the first administration to investigate Apple's infringement case, the results of the investigation by the Xicheng District Administration for Industry and Commerce in Chengdu will influence this overall mobilization at the administration level. The "Everyday Economic News" learned yesterday from relevant channels that the Xicheng District Administration for Industry and Commerce in Chengdu had reached a preliminary determination result, finding Apple guilty of trademark infringement. Currently, within the jurisdiction of Xicheng, there is one of the five direct sales points of Apple in China: the Xidan Joy City Apple Store. Based on the penalty provisions for trademark infringement cases, twice the sales amount of Apple in the Xicheng District will be used as the penalty amount, estimated to reach 240 million yuan. According to the investigation procedures of the Administration for Industry and Commerce, Apple can raise objections, and the Xicheng District Administration for Industry and Commerce in Chengdu will make the final determination. Once the infringement fact is recognized, Apple will find it hard to escape a hefty fine. However, You Yunting pointed out, "In fact, there is a dispute between Wei Guan and Apple regarding the ownership of the iPad trademark, and the outcome needs to await the second-instance ruling. Generally, our experience suggests that the industrial and commercial departments in China do not investigate controversial trademark infringement incidents." An industry insider analyzed to the "Everyday Economic News" that regardless of whether it is Apple or Wei Guan Technology, both sides hope to leverage the second-instance trial to engage in a game of strategy to gain advantages for themselves. "Apple's purpose is to secure the China trademark rights for the iPad at the lowest cost, whereas Wei Guan aims for the opposite, aiming to sell the trademark rights at a high price." Related thematic articles: UBS Investment Banking bonuses fell sharply by 60% in 2011.