In the world's first trade secret case to receive a ruling by US and Chinese courts, the US International Trade Commission recently cleared Chinese company Sino Legend Chemical Co of an infringement allegation.

The commission overturned its initial determination and ruled in favor of Zhangjiagang-based Sino Legend in a lawsuit alleging theft of trade secrets brought before the court by US company SI Group in May 2012.

According to its verdict, most of SI Group's claimed trade secrets were invalid. The commission also revoked the request of "excluding from entry into the United States all rubber resins, including tackifiers, manufactured using SI Group trade secrets" that the US company planned to seek.