(Yicai) Jan. 30 -- China’s Yuantong Corrugated Pipe is offering as much as CNY1 million (USD140,000) for information on a local official whom it claims flouted the law in handling a patent dispute case involving a rival company.

The cash reward is for proof that would lead to the criminal investigation of the official at the market supervision bureau of Changle district in the city of Fuzhou who Yuantong says abused their power in dealing with a patent dispute between it and Hongxin Revolving Compensator Technology, the firm said on Weibo on Jan. 27.

Moreover, Jiangsu province-based Yuantong will give CNY50,000 (USD7,000) to whoever can provide information that would lead to the official’s demotion or dismissal, it added.

Pan Yiting, the director of Yuantong’s general office, confirmed to Yicai the authenticity of the announcement on Weibo. The competition between Yuantong and Hongxin is long-standing, and administrative law-enforcement agencies are not supposed to be involved, Pang noted, adding that Yuantong will hand over the information it collects to the authorities for verification.

While the market supervision bureau in question has not yet responded to Yuantong’s announcement, Hongxin published a post on Weibo on Jan. 28 saying it will continue to collect evidence about Yuantong’s illegal behavior, report it to the judicial authorities, and take Yuantong to court. Ji Yingli, head of Hongin’s legal affairs department, confirmed the truth of the post.

Because Yuantong aims to collect information about the official’s work, not their private life, there is no risk of infringing the person’s right of reputation, said Chen Ruibo, a lawyer at Henan Tianwu Law Firm. But if not properly done, offers of cash rewards can disrupt the social order, spark quarrels, and provoke trouble, Chen added.

Yuantong and Hongxin have had a number of disputes since 2018. According to the website China Judgments Online, there are several civil judgments on patent disputes between the two parties, with each having won some.

Editor: Futura Costaglione