Wenzhou Company wards off oil giant's attack on trademark

The four year slugfest between international leading oil giant Mobil Oil and Wenzhou, Zhejiang piston maker Cangnan Tianma made to a first formal stop recently. The Trademark Office (TMO) of the State Administration for Industry and Commerce ruled, Mobil's opposition on Cangnan Tianma's trademark "天马" (meaning flying horse) registered under class 12, auto parts was groundless.

Cangnan Tianma filed for registration of its figurative logo representing a flying horse under class 12 at TMO in March 1999. In February 2003, TMO made its initial determination and publish the mark for public opposition.

Mobil filed an opposition on May 5,2003 on the ground that Mobil had registered the flying horse shaped trademark under class 1 and 4, products of which are connected with class 12. Cangnan Tianma's trademark constituted infringement.