Lower Chinese court bans Apple iPad sales over trademark fight

A Chinese tech company that says it owns the rights to the iPad trademark, has won a lower court ruling to ban sales of Apple's widely popular computer tablet.

Shenzhen Proview Technology, a firm based in the country's Guangdong province, accused the technology giant of 'acting dishonestly' when it bought rights to the iPad name.

A lawyer for Proview has now claimed the Intermediate People's Court in Guangdong had ruled last week that distributors should stop selling iPads in China, The Daily Mail reports.

In its battle with Apple, Proview is utilising lawsuits in several places and also requesting commercial authorities in 40 cities to block iPad sales.

According to the report, a Shanghai court is due to hear a similar case on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Apple insisted in a statement that it does hold trademark rights to the iPad in China.

"We bought Proview's worldwide rights to the iPad trademark in 10 different countries several years ago," Apple spokesperson Carolyn Wu said.

"Proview refuses to honour their agreement with Apple in China and a Hong Kong court has sided with Apple in this matter," Wu added.

Lawyers representing Apple have accused Proview of breaching 'principles of good faith and fair dealing' and of making 'false and misleading' statements.