This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
CONFIDENTIAL.
30958
RECEIVED 22 AUG 06
No. 1.
[July 26.]
SECTION 1.
Question asked in the House of Commons, July 26, 1906,
Tillett, To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the new trade-mark law in China has yet been brought into operation; if not, whether there is any likelihood of this taking place in the near future; whether the Regulations proposed in 1904 have been amended; if so, in what manner; whether he has official reports showing that traders secure any real advantage from now depositing their trade-marks at Shanghae; and whether registration of a trade-mark in China will prevail over a prior user of the same mark.
Answer.
1. The answer to the first question is in the negative.
2. It is not possible to say when the Regulations will come into force.
3. The Regulations, as originally drafted, were not satisfactory. Amendments have been proposed by the Representatives at Peking of the foreign Powers, and the matter is still under discussion.
4. When His Majesty's Minister at Peking reported that the Chinese Government had agreed to suspend the operation of the Regulations until an agreement had been come to with the Governments interested, he stated that the Registration at Shanghae would not be closed to applicants, but that as no marks could be registered this point was of no importance.
Pending the conclusion of the negotiations, I am unable to give the information asked for.