The Super People's Court recently entered the final instance decision for the patent infringement of Wuhan's Environmental Project Technology (CEPT), ordering co-defendants, Japan's Fujikasui Engineering (FKK) and Formosa Plastics Corporation USA's wholly owned subsidiary Huayang Engineering indemnify 50,612,400 yuan in damages. The CEPT ended this eight-year legal battle on a triumphant note.

CEPT filed a patent application on a method and apparatus of natural seawater flue gas desulphurization on December 22, 1995, and was granted on September 25, 1999. Huayang Engineering initiated the Houshi Power Plant in Zhangzhou, Fujian in 1997 and bought that apparatus from FKK, which landed itself in a serious shortage in the supply of raw material. Huayang Engineering then made a request to CEPT for a feasible scheme of seawater desulphurization. After gaining the apparatus from CEPT, Huayang Engineering then claimed that it had mastered the technology and the apparatus, all from FKK when upgrading its desulphurization apparatus in August 1998. There was no need for CEPT's further involvement.

CEPT instituted a legal proceeding in Fujian Higher People's Court, starting the 8-year long legal battle. (China IP News)