Athletes in the Olympic Villages-in the Beijing, Yanqing and Zhangjiakou zones-have been sharing their moments with the panda in photos and videos, while Bing Dwen Dwen fans have patiently waited to buy products from licensed stores and through official online channels.
The enthusiasm for the mascot（吉祥物）products has led to a shortage of products, with many netizens complaining that it's too difficult to get a Bing Dwen Dwen doll.
Zhang Zhicheng, a spokesman for the National Intellectual Property Administration, said the difficulty buyers face in getting the mascot products shows the country's stronger and more comprehensive protection of Olympic symbols. "As the mascot has Olympic symbol protection, it also receives patent（专利）, trademark and copyright protection, ＂Zhang said at a news conference organized by the 2022 Beijing Media Center on Monday.
Comprehensive IPR protection（全方位的知识产权保护）guarantees the rights and interests of IPR owners, and also promotes the spread of Olympic culture, he said. "Comprehensive IPR protection is our way of keeping Olympic rules. It's also symbolic of our respect for every athlete, and encouragement for technological innovators at this sports event," he said.
Sun Lei, an IPR lawyer at Yuanhe Partners in Beijing, said that difficulty in buying a Bing Dwen Dwen doll reflects enhanced awareness of the importance of protecting Olympic symbols, adding that thanks should go to the country's early warmings on the issue and other measures.
After Bing Dwen Dwen was unveiled in 2019, the Beijing Organizing Committee for the 2022 Olympics issued a notice on the protection of the mascot. It warned that no individual or department could use the image or name of the mascot for private reasons. It added that using the image in anything other than the official designs was also banned.
