armasuisse combats brand piracy in China
The global and exclusive official license holder swiss brands AG is authorized to distribute SWISS MILITARY drinkware, kitchenware, apparel, and footwear, among other products, in China. However, its market entry has been met with serious trademark infringements.
An extensive network of unauthorized companies - falsely presenting themselves as licensees or sub-licensees - and distributors has entered the Chinese market, offering SWISS MILITARY products on various online platforms and in retail outlets. They derive their alleged authority from entirely fabricated certificates purporting to have been issued by armasuisse as the licensor or by Swiss Brands AG as the exclusive worldwide Licensee for the SWISS MILITARY brands. Such certificates are forgeries and confer no rights whatsoever.
Entities listed as sub-licensees or authorized parties in such forged documents are explicitly unauthorized. This applies in particular to:
Promoshirt SM Private Limited (New Delhi, India) – currently subject to legal action by armasuisse in India; a favorable first-instance judgment has already been obtained.
Core International Co., Ltd. (South Korea) – unauthorized.
Fujian Dinghui Sports Technology Co., Ltd. (China) – relies on licenses unlawfully granted by Promoshirt / Core International and Swiss Military (China) Brand Operations Co., Ltd. (Hong Kong).
Zhongrui Hongye (Beijing) Brand Management Co., Ltd. (ZHBM) – unauthorized.
armasuisse has issued numerous formal warning letters, successfully removing unauthorized SWISS MILITARY offers from online platforms. Further warning letters will be issued. In addition, criminal, administrative, and civil proceedings are being prepared against unauthorized trademark users in China, with several cases already pending before the relevant authorities and courts.
The official website of armasuisse, the Swiss federal authority responsible for Swiss Military trademarks, explicitly displays examples of such counterfeit certificates and confirms that armasuisse actively combats trademark piracy in China. This information, including visual evidence of forged certificates, is publicly accessible at: