By Michael Li
Courts in China’s Yangtze River Delta have announced measures supporting intellectual property protection and cross-border dispute resolution around the China International Import Expo (CIIE), according to a November 4, 2026 report by Shangguan News. For overseas exhibitors, the practical focus is preparing evidence, establishing ownership and arranging authority to act while an exhibition is still underway. Faster access to assistance does not guarantee an injunction.
The November 4 report describes a joint release by the courts of Qingpu in Shanghai, Wujiang in Jiangsu Province and Jiashan in Zhejiang Province, China.
It reports that Qingpu Court’s arrangements include pre-exhibition ownership checks and risk reminders, expedited handling of evidence-preservation and interim-injunction applications during exhibitions, and coordination to investigate infringement after an event.
The report also describes an upgraded cross-border litigation service window offering remote video-witnessed authorisation, multilingual translation assistance and online cross-border mediation. These are reported service arrangements; businesses should confirm eligibility and document requirements with the relevant court.
China’s Supreme People’s Court expressly identifies actual or imminent IP infringement at time-sensitive events, including trade shows, as a circumstance that can justify urgent consideration of interim relief.
Under its rules on IP conduct preservation, courts also assess the factual and legal basis of the application, the stability of the asserted right, potential irreparable harm, the balance of harm and public interests. Security must be provided as legally required.
Evidence preservation and an order stopping conduct serve different purposes. The rules require separate examination of different preservation applications. Collecting evidence does not itself secure an order removing a product.
A historical case reported by the Shanghai Intellectual Property Court illustrates how targeted interim relief can work.
On April 15, 2019, a claimant in an existing invention-patent lawsuit sought an order stopping the display of two folding-box products at an exhibition running from April 15 to 17 in Shanghai, China.
The court conducted a hearing, contacted the defendant’s legal representative and considered the patent’s status, the existing proceedings, exhibition-related urgency and the security provided. It issued an order that day.
On April 16, court personnel delivered the order at the exhibition. The defendant removed both disputed products.
The timing matters, but so does the procedural background: litigation was already underway, and the court had considered the underlying dispute. This was not a new complaint supported only by a photograph. It is also a 2019 example, not an outcome of the measures reported in November 2026.
For exhibitors, a practical preparation step is to assemble a concise file that a legal adviser can assess quickly.
| Item | Information to prepare |
|---|---|
| The asserted right | Relevant registration or ownership records and current status information |
| The disputed product | Product name, model, photographs and the specific features causing concern |
| The exhibitor | Company name, booth number, catalogue and available contact details |
| The timeline | When the display was discovered and when the exhibition ends |
| Commercial context | How the display affects the launch, customer enquiries or distribution plans |
| Authority to act | The relationship between the rights holder, exhibitor, distributor and proposed representative |
Keep original photographs, files and contemporaneous notes. Record when and where material was obtained, and distinguish direct observations from assumptions.
A product that looks similar may raise a different issue from a booth using a similar brand name. Before escalating a complaint, identify precisely what is allegedly being copied.
Where exhibition materials introduce a Chinese-language name, review that name separately from the overseas brand. The issues discussed in Chinese brand-name protection are particularly relevant before approving booth graphics, brochures and distributor materials.
A practical weakness in an urgent response can arise inside the business: the person attending the exhibition may have product knowledge but no authority to approve legal action.
Before attending, identify who can supply ownership documents, instruct advisers and approve the proposed response. Keep that person’s contact details and availability accessible to the exhibition team.
Prepare a short factual incident summary that can be shared with decision-makers abroad. Include the booth location, the relevant product, supporting records and the remaining exhibition timetable.
Remote assistance can make communication easier. It does not remove the need to establish who the applicant is or who may act on its behalf.
No. Similar appearance is a reason to investigate. The assessment must identify the particular right relied on and the conduct alleged to infringe it.
No. The reported service includes remote video-witnessed authorisation, but the report does not establish a universal exemption from other formalities. Confirm the requirements for the applicant and procedure concerned.
No. That case involved an existing lawsuit, a hearing, security and a judicial assessment of the circumstances. Its timetable is not a service guarantee.
Start with the exhibition location and closing date, photographs of the disputed display, the exhibitor’s identity and the records supporting your rights. Explain the commercial concern and identify who can authorise further action.
IPcrossark helps businesses organise trademark, patent and copyright service requirements, supporting documents and communication with the professionals handling their matters.
Before an exhibition, businesses can explore China trademark services to discuss their brand-protection needs and preparation.
For an existing concern, contact IPcrossark with the exhibition dates, the right involved and a brief description of the issue. The team can clarify the requested service and coordination needs. Court representation and urgent applications require a separately confirmed scope with the appropriate legal professionals.
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