Le QuangVinh, director of the law firm's Intellectual Property Department, saiddespite the geographical indication which allows only fish-sauce makerson Vietnam's Phu Quoc island to use the label, it was registered for afish sauce on May 11 by Hong Kong-based Viet Huong Trading Ltd Co.
Viet Huong has applied to relevant agencies in the Chinese regionseeking protection of the label, and Vinh warned that if Vietnam did notobject to the infringement within a certain time, the trademark wouldbe protected under Hong Kong law.
In 2001 Phu Quoc fishsauce became one of Vietnam's first products to have its appellation oforigin recognised worldwide, meaning the name can be used only
for fish sauce products made on the Vietnamese island.
Other appellations of origin worldwide include champagne (a region inFrance), tequila (a town in Mexico), and Havana (cigars)./.