Dec. 27 (NBD) -- Chinese restaurant chain Real Kungfu Catering Management Co., Ltd. ("Real Kungfu") said in a reply to National Business Daily Thursday that its logo didn't infringe the rights of martial arts film star Bruce Lee and the company will protect its legitimate rights through court proceedings.

Photo/Zhang Yun (NBD)

The fast-food chain's response came after it was sued by Bruce Lee Enterprises, LLC for using the image of Bruce Lee as its logo for 15 years without authorization. The case was accepted by Shanghai NO.2 Intermediate People's Court on December 5.

Bruce Lee Enterprises demanded Real Kungfu must stop using the logo and publish a notice on media platforms for consecutive 90 days clarifying that the restaurant and Bruce Lee are totally unrelated.

Bruce Lee Enterprises also lodged a claim of 210 million yuan (30.1 million U.S. dollars), plus an additional 88,000 yuan to cover the expense of safeguarding rights.

"Real Kungfu has been using the logo for as long as 15 years. The company was involved in such disputes years ago but wasn't convicted of any trademark infringement by Chinese authorities," the company emphasized in its statement released on Thursday.

Known as one of the most famous martial arts masters around the world, Bruce Lee passed away in 1973. Bruce Lee Enterprises is holding the portrait rights of Bruce Lee in the USA and most of the countries and regions in the world.

Bruce Lee's daughter Shannon Lee, who is the legal representative of Bruce Lee Enterprises, has been fighting against the illegal use of her father's image since 2010. Shannon Lee believes Real Kungfu is among the infringers of her father's portrait rights.

The Guangdong-based restaurant chain was founded in 1990 and its logo features a young man in yellow in a Chinese kungfu pose who looks like Bruce Lee. The company now operates over 600 stores across China.

Ding Jinkun, a lawyer at DeBund Law Offices, said the key point of the case is whether the logo Real Kungfu is using is actually the portrait of Bruce lee. "If yes, Real Kungfu would constitute infringement, and the family members of Bruce Lee (within three generations) could claim compensation. If the chain's logo is an image that looks like Bruce Lee, the behavior would be regarded as an act of misleading consumers and unfair competition, but Bruce Lee's family has no right to lodge a claim."

Email: lansuying@nbd.com.cn