Apple has been in troubled waters in China where Proview has launched an aggressive campaign against the company. Proview claims that iPad trademark that is being used by Apple is actually the property of Proview. Apple says that yes, it was once the property of Proview but then Apple purchased it.
Proview says that the agreement of purchase didn’t extend to China and so now Apple must pay them millions of dollars for violating it. Chinese court seem slightly leaning in favor of Proview, at times unjustly. But now a Hong Kong judge has said that Proview is conspiring against Apple. According to a judge of a Hong Kong court, it is clear that Proview agreed to let go of it’s rights over the iPad trademark through an agreement. But that now Proview refuses to honor that agreement and is attempting to conspire against Apple and exploit it for the sake of money. The exact statement read,
“The conduct of all the defendants demonstrate that they have combined together with the common intention of injuring Apple and IP Application [Apple’s agent in the purchase] by acting in breach of the agreement. Proview Holdings, Proview Electronics and Proview Shenzhen, all clearly under [Proview CEO Yang Rongshan’s] control, have refused to take any steps to ensure compliance with the agreement so that the China Trademarks are properly assigned or transferred to [Apple]. Instead, they attempt to exploit the situation as a business opportunity for the Proview Group by seeking an amount of US $10 million from Apple.”
Will this statement from Hong Kong have any bearing on the legal position of Apple in the case which is originally filed in China? We have to wait and see.
Image courtesy Yutaka.
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lame Hong Kong judge, commenting on matters where he has no jurisdiction… he could be charged with contempt of court….