Rolex Wins China Court Battle over Internet Site Name

Swiss watchmaking firm Rolex has won a legal battle in China to prevent a local Internet firm using the domestic rolex.com Internet site address, a court official said on Tuesday.

The People's Intermediate Court in Beijing has ruled Chinese Internet service provider CINET had no rights to the rolex.com.cn web address, said an official from the court's Intellectual Property Tribunal who identified himself as Wang.

CINET was also ordered to pay 10,000 yuan (1,200 dollars) in compensation to Rolex for registering the address, he said, adding both sides still had a chance to appeal against the verdict if they wanted.

"Rolex is a very famous brand in China, and it was decided CINET had no claim to use it," Wang said.

CINET could not be contacted. It was not known why it had first registered the Internet address.

Rolex, whose marque is a target for fakers the world over, is known for zealously guarding its trade name and reputation.






People's Daily Online --- http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/