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January 31, 2007
Positions Available: IPR Attorneys, US Embassy and Consulates in China
[Editor's Note: Contact the Embassy directly at the email below for detailed job specs or email me. Sounds like a great opportunity for the young lawyer with an interest in China. You must be already located in China. I have been assured this does not mean the search is limited to local Chinese nationals.]
The U.S. Embassy in China is seeking IPR specialists for the Embassy in Beijing, as well as the consulates in Guangzhou and Shanghai. Candidates with a background in civil, criminal or administrative process, patent law, copyright, technology transfer, or managing IPR issues for an industrial sector, are especially welcome to apply. Qualifications:
Experience:
At least five years of progressively responsible experience in legal research and analysis or working in a law firm, consulting firm, university, or corporation, non-governmental or governmental organization on intellectual property or commercial rule of law matters.
Knowledge:
With solid understanding of Chinese legal and intellectual property system, including roles of related enforcement agencies and specific knowledge of WTO rules and procedures required, also, should be familiar with general economic and trade concepts and with U.S. government economic policy institutions.
Language:
A good working knowledge (“level 4”) of English and Chinese is required.
Further information:
The positions involve reporting to a team of U.S IPR lawyers and working to support overall U.S. embassy efforts on IPR, including coordinating with various sections of the Embassy such as the Commercial Section, Economics Section, Political (e.g., rule of law), Customs, Foreign Agricultural Service, etc. In addition the lawyers serve as part of an evolving international team of IPR experts supported by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in such countries as Thailand, India, Russia, Egypt, Switzerland (Geneva), and Brazil.
The positions offer a great opportunity to be on the ground floor and the cutting edge of many important bilateral and international issues. There are also many opportunities for professional training and development, including training in China and the U.S. During the past year alone, we have conducted a range of training programs in China on such topics as: protection of traditional knowledge, folklore and genetic resources under the world IP system; international trends in pharmaceutical counterfeiting; how to file a criminal copyright case in China; protection of the geographical indications of agricultural products in China and the U.S.; an annual “Ambassador’s Roundtable” on intellectual property attended by Secretary Guttierez and Minister Bo Xilai; use of intellectual property in development of technical standards; protection of copyright over the Internet; and media relations and IPR litigation. We have also supported on-going bilateral dialogues with China’s IPR-related agencies, provided training programs to industry, participated in Chinese seminars and programs, and delivered a full range of other IPR-related activities.
Contact email: USEmbassyBJHR@state.gov
Posted by Richard at 1:40 PM | Comments (0)January 30, 2007
Event:: Hong Kong Legal Developments with Former Solicitor-General Daniel Fung
Speaker: Daniel Fung, Former Solicitor General of Hong Kong
Topic: A "conference table chat with Mr. Daniel Fung, the first Solicitor-General of the Hong Kong SAR. This chat will be a Q&A about Hong Kong legal developments including HKSAR/mainland reciprocal commercial law agreements, etc. Although back to private practice as a barrister, he still chairs the Broadcasting Authority of the Hong Kong government and is one of the most knowledgeable persons about Hong Kong. Mr. Fung's biography can be found here."
Date: Friday, Feb. 9, 2007
Time: 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm
Location: American Bar Association, 740 15th Street, NW, Washington, D.C.
Sponsor: American Bar Association Section of International Law, China Committee
To register, contact: Mary Jordan Mullinax at mullinam@staff.abanet.org, 202-662-1673 by Wednesday, February 7, 2007.
Posted by Richard at 12:50 PM | Comments (0)January 29, 2007
You See? The Money Was There All Along...
FT: All of Shanghai's purloined pension funds have been recovered, leading one to give serious consideration to the possibility that its gone for good.
Posted by Richard at 12:45 PM | Comments (1)January 27, 2007
Event: Civil IP Litigation in China
Topic: Civil IP Litigation in China
Date: February 8, 2007 2:00pm – 3:30pm EST
Content:
A discussion on China’s latest legislative developments, an overview of civil litigation in China and best practices for resolving intellectual property disputes in China’s civil courts.
Speakers:
James V. Feinerman, Professor and Co-Director, Asian Law and Policy Studies Program, Georgetown University Law Center,
Bill Huo, Attorney, licensed in U.S. and China specializing in IP commercial disputes, Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP
Elaine Gin, Attorney-Advisor, U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
Cost: Free of charge. The program is free. No special software or computer configuration is needed to participate; only a phone line and a computer with an Internet connection are necessary.
Registration: Send your contact information to ChinaIPR@mail.doc.gov. A registration confirmation, and dial-in/log-in instructions will be sent to you a week before the program.
URL: http://www.stopfakes.gov/events/china_webinar_series.asp
January 25, 2007
Money-making Schemes in Chinese Journalism
Somewhat off topic today, but this is a worthwhile story on corruption affecting business interests, especially during a public relations crisis.
UPDATE: Read this translated article , entitled "The Chaotic Phenomenon of Fake Reporters in Datong, Shanxi."
Posted by Richard at 1:03 PM | Comments (0)January 23, 2007
Macao Gambling Revenue Tops Vegas Strip
That's a lotta patacas...
Posted by Richard at 1:56 PM | Comments (0)January 22, 2007
China, Corporate Bonds and Weakness in the Financial System
For those involved in China finance, read Joe Studwell's latest column:
Over the medium term, the big significance of the move on corporate bonds is diversification of systemic financial risk. A financial system with three legs is harder to knock over than one with two. Moreover, while we have seen emerging market financial crises based on state bonds (Latin America) and corporate bank borrowing (south-east Asia), we have yet to see one result from the issuance of corporate paper.
Perhaps China will show that corporate bonds can produce a crisis. But more likely this is the last chance to diversify and strengthen the financial system in this period of particularly fast growth. When growth slows, as a result of diminished external demand or a falling number of labour market entrants early in the next decade, and banks begin to report higher non-performing loans, the system will need resilience.Posted by Richard at 12:59 PM | Comments (0)
January 19, 2007
Shangai Bribery Case May Entangle Western Corporations
What? Bribery, McDonalds, Whirlpool, McKinsey, Shanghai -- all in one paragraph? Without further comment (as I am working feverishly on a project), let me direct you to this New York Times article.
Posted by Richard at 7:48 PM | Comments (0)January 3, 2007
Audio: Who's Not Making Money in China?
So who's making money in China? You'd be surprised to hear who isn't...
January 2, 2007
Who's Not Making Money in China?
While McKinsey spins a positive take on the potential for growth in Chinese consumer spending, foreign businesses in the consumer luxury space respond in the negative.
When Eric Douilhet opened China's first Paul Smith and Moschino fashion boutiques in 2002, he didn't expect they'd be making money by now. He didn't think they'd be losing this much, either.
``I was definitely expecting sales to be higher, the losses to be smaller,'' says Douilhet, 43, president of Bluebell (Asia) Ltd., which also operates Jaeger clothing and Davidoff cigar stores in China. ``People are too optimistic about China.'' He declined to quantify the losses.
We find this extremely interesting, considering that it has recently been reported in the Taiwanese press that over half of the largest 250 Taiwanese entreprises in China are barely profitable.
調查指出，國內前兩百五十大集團，大陸投資佈局呈現「三高兩低」！投資金額高、營收規模高、負債比率高，不過，平均稅後純益低、平均純益率低；將近五成虧損，平均每家純益率只有百分之二點零五。
Which idea do you buy into - a future Fort Knox or a grinding money-pit? Perhaps both are fundamentally correct. The snail's paced growth of a consumer market in China does not necessarily dovetail with one's hopes for a consistently profitable revenue stream.
As we have stated consistently over many years, investment in China must be approached skeptically. Expect less where more seems possible. Temper enthusiasm with caution.
Posted by Richard at 1:31 PM | Comments (1)
