The BMW delegation visits the Shanghai Intellectual Property Administration. [Photo/WeChat account: Shanghai_IPA]

In an important step to strengthening intellectual property, or IP rights, BMW Group China's Chief Legal Counsel Carsten Lammers and officials from the Shanghai Intellectual Property Administration, or SIPA – located in East China's Shanghai – held key talks on May 27.

The meeting was a direct response to a complaint filed by BMW about what it called the unauthorized modification and imitation of vintage Rolls-Royce cars for wedding services in Shanghai, which it said infringed on the company's interests.

World famous for its super luxury and expensive cars, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Limited is a British automobile maker that is wholly owned by BMW AG.

The complexity of the case prompted an in-depth joint analysis by the municipal and district authorities, guided by the legal expertise of the China National Intellectual Property Administration.

The outcome was the imposition of fines of more than 730,000 yuan ($100,811) levied on 15 business entities involved.

During the talks at the offices of SIPA, its Deputy Director General Yu Chen presented an overview of Shanghai's IP strategies and handling of complex trademark disputes.

He gave his assurances that the SIPA was dedicated to refining the IP protection framework, intensifying the defense of prominent trademarks and meticulously evaluating complicated cases.

Yu said the goal was to cultivate an optimal IP protection climate, paving the way for international companies to prosper in Shanghai.

BMW's Lammers praised Shanghai's IP protection efforts, which he said were in line with the German luxury car group's vision and the city's exemplary business environment. He added that the city's robust legal environment had strengthened BMW's investment confidence, signaling a deeper commitment to investment in Shanghai and China as a whole.