Bing Dwen Dwen Photo: VCG

Amid the Bing Dwen Dwen sensation that is sweeping the world, with avid fans waiting in long lines at almost every shop and making mock-ups in various forms, the Beijing Organizing Committee vowed to protect its intellectual property (IP) by issuing a guidebook on Monday on the usage specifications of the mascot as well as 62 other Olympic symbols, reflecting the country's zero-tolerance attitude toward copyright infringement.

"The hard-to-buy Bing Dwen Dwen is not only protected by the Olympic symbol but also by patents, trademarks and copyrights. So to speak, it is both wearing a crystal clear 'sugar shell' and an invisible 'intellectual property protection cover'," Zhang Zhicheng, spokesperson of the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA), said at a press conference on Monday. 

Without the permission of the Beijing Organizing Committee, no other unit or individual may use the image of Bing Dwen Dwen or distort, alter or use it inappropriately, except as authorized by the law, the guidebook said, adding that the committee has the right to take legal action against infringers. 

It added that apart from the traditional intellectual property rights, the committee also owns the exclusive rights to the Olympic symbols. The protection of key Olympic elements is unique to China, further reflecting China's respect for the Olympic rules. There are 63 Olympic symbols recognized by the CNIPA, including the mascot, the Olympic rings and the emblem of the Beijing Winter Games. 

China on Monday cracked down on illegal trademark registrations for Bing Dwen Dwen and Chinese top-notch skier Gu Ailing, as the country stepped up IP protection for the Winter Olympics and Paralympics.

The CNIPA rejected 429 trademark registration applications and invalidated 43 trademarks carrying the name Bing Dwen Dwen or Gu Ailing, it said in a notice issued on Monday. 

Beijing recently prosecuted a case of piracy involving Bing Dwen Dwen and Shuey Rhon Rhon through a speedy trial. The suspect, surnamed Ren, was sentenced to one year in prison and fined 40,000 yuan ($629), which makes the case the first criminal copyright infringement of the Beijing Winter Olympics mascot image. 

The "super star" Bing Dwen Dwen has triggered mania among athletes, staffers and people from every corner of the world, especially after the mascot captured the heart of Japanese journalist Gido Tsujioka, whose effusive love earned him the nickname "Gido Dwen Dwen."

The latest Bing Dwen Dwen "enthusiast" spotted by the audience is Japanese skier Kobayashi Ryoyu, who stuck the mascot into the Olympic ring bib that he wore during a post-game interview after claiming silver in the ski jumping large hill final on Saturday. The photo of him and Bing Dwen Dwen poking out "curiously" from the bib was later shared by the International Olympic Committee on Twitter with a kangaroo emoji, melting countless netizens' hearts. 

Global Times