China's first tourist trademark auction was badly attended earlier in this month, as the trademark of "Baiyuezhuangdu" was finally announced to be withdrawn from the selling.

The floor price of the trademark for tourist spots in southwestChina's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region started at 60 million yuan.

"The price is too high, which should be attributed to the failure of the country's first tourist trademark auction," said the Li Shaoning, the auctioneer.

He said that China's trademark auction still needs some time togo mature.

"Trademarks are hardly seen as something safe enough to be a mortgage, so they are difficult to be transferred freely," Li said.

Xie Xin, owner of the trademark and also chairman of the board of the Baiyuezhuangdu Tourist Development Co. Ltd., said that the transfer of intellectual property rights will become active as therelated laws and operating systems are established.

The environment is turning more and more favorable for the purpose. The number of China's trademark registration now leads the world's level, and China's new trademark law amended in December last year further improves the protection of trademark ownership right, an official with the State Intellectual Property Office said.

( Xinhua News Agency February 21, 2002)