iPad trademark dispute shows troubles of doing business in China

To most global consumers, the iPad is practically synonymous with American electronics titan Apple. But one debt-ridden company in China, Proview, is alleging that it is the rightful owner of the trademark for the name of one of Apple’s signature devices.

The claim has resulted in government officials yanking the tablet from store shelves in some Chinese cities, despite high demand for the product. It’s a strange twist on a pervasive problem: American and other global firms often accuse Chinese entities of unfairly copying their intellectual property, but now a Chinese company is pointing a finger at a U.S. corporation in a copyright dispute. And a lower Chinese court has ruled in Proview’s favor, although Apple produced documents that it claims prove the company legally bought the iPad trademark in 2009. The legal clash illustrates why it can be difficult for U.S. companies to do business in China.