Honda re-prosecutes Chinese enterprises for patent infringement

January 4, 2005

Honda re-prosecutes Chinese enterprises for patent infringement
Honda Motor (China) Investment Co., Ltd. (“Honda China” for short thereinafter) brought an accusation against Hebei Xinkai Motor for infringement of patent right for design of automobile appearance at the end of October 2004. It is another dispute concerning automobile patent right after Honda’s lawsuit against Hebei Shuanghuan in 2003.
Honda confirmed recently that Honda China is preparing to take juridical action including lawsuit against 9 Chinese domestic automobile manufacturers being suspected of patent infringement. Most of these manufacturers headquarter in China’s Hebei Province.

According to business insiders, a series of disputes concerning automobile patent rights shows that with increasing integration of Chinese market and international market, domestic automobile manufacturers have to face stricter legal restriction. They should show more respect to IPR of foreign automobile manufacturers and base themselves independent R&D, establish their own brands or become an organic part of other large automobile groups.