Proview International Holdings (0334.HK) announced Tuesday that its mainland subsidiary owns the trademark rights to the iPad name in China, and has asked Apple (AAPL.NASDAQ) for US$1.5 billion in compensation, Caixin reported. In 2000 and 2001, Proview’s Taipei subsidiary registered the use of the iPad trademark for electronic products in China and elsewhere. Apple subsequently purchased some of those rights from Proview for US$55,000, but Proview claims that Apple did not purchase the rights to the trademark on the mainland. Apple sued Proview in May, claiming that the transfer assignment did include mainland rights. Proview’s mainland subsidiary, Proview Technology, is currently in a debt crisis. It owes nearly RMB400 million (US$59.8 million) to local banks. The company has asked the State Administration for Industry and Commerce to "seal up Apple’s products" until the suit is resolved.
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