WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - A Chinese court has ordered the popular tea chain Molly Tea to pay 10.3 million yuan (about $1.5 million) in damages to Louis Vuitton, ruling that the company's logo infringed the luxury brand's trademark.
The decision has also stirred a broader online debate about intellectual property protections in China. The court in Suzhou, Jiangsu province, found that the Shenzhen-based tea chain copied Louis Vuitton's signature four-petal flower design. Along with the damages, Molly Tea was ordered to stop using the logo and to publish a public apology.
Chinese state media also reported that several trademark applications filed by Molly Tea and its affiliated companies were rejected, and that only the trademark containing the company's Chinese name was approved.
The ruling quickly became a major topic on Chinese social media, drawing hundreds of millions of views. Some commenters argued that geometric floral patterns have existed in Chinese culture for centuries and questioned whether designs like these should be exclusively protected. Others supported the decision, pointing out that Louis Vuitton registered the trademark and is entitled to enforce its rights regardless of the industry involved.
The case has renewed attention on trademark enforcement in China as domestic brands grow and increasingly find themselves in intellectual property disputes with global companies.
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