The right of publicity in Chinese Law? A comment on the Michael Jeffrey Jordan case and comparative analysis with the US, UK, Germany, and the Asia Pacific

Abstract

In Michael Jeffery Jordan v Chinese Trademark Review and Adjudication Board, the Supreme People's Court (SPC) set a precedent for foreign companies and celebrities enforcing their rights of publicity against malicious trademark registration in China. This article introduces the legal grounds of the SPC's deliberations on Jordan's claims and responds to the critiques of most Chinese commentators in the field of civil law. Deeply influenced by German law, mainland China's legal system strictly distinguishes between personality rights and property rights. Comparative analysis with the US, Germany, Japan, and Hong Kong indicates that different legal civilizations have developed different approaches to position the right of publicity logically in their legal systems. The Jordan decision indicates that the ‘right of the name’ is a prior right provided in Article 32 of the Trademark Law of the PRC. This article contends that the ‘right of the name’ as provided in the Chinese Anti-Unfair Competition Law differs from the ‘right of the name’ articulated in Article 110 of the General Principles of Civil Law (2017). The former concerns the commercial interest and property aspects of a celebrity's name, which is fairly similar to the right of publicity, while the latter regards the personality right. The further development of the right of publicity protection relies in mainland China on a consistent judicial practice.