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The Chinese company Proview International Holdings Ltd said it owns the trademark rights to iPad in China and intends to sue Apple Inc for compensation, according to a shareholder of Proview.

Li Su, a minority shareholder of Proview, told reporters that Proview Taipei, in which Proview International held a controlling stake, registered the trademark for iPad computer in Europe and other places in 2000; and in 2001, Proview Technology (Shenzhen) Co Ltd under Proview International registered the iPad trademark in China.

Li said the registered trademark in China applies to computers and products related to computers. Proview later launched its own iPad-branded computer but was not well recognized by the market.

Proview International is a major manufacturer of LED displays and is listed in Hong Kong.

Apple Inc bought the trademark rights in Europe and other places from Proview Taipei, but Proview Technology (Shenzhen) Co Ltd still held the iPad trademark in China.

Li said the two sides had been negotiating the trademark issue at the beginning of this year, but later Apple quit the talks as Proview International became trapped in a debt crisis and its assets were frozen by eight banks.

Li revealed that the banks will hold a meeting recently to discuss the iPad trademark issue.

The eight banks are Bank of China, China Minsheng Bank, China Development Bank, Guangdong Development Bank, Bank of Communications, Shanghai Pudong Development Bank, Hua Xia Bank and Ping An Bank.

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Published on our website on Oct.29, 2010