A Beijing court has ordered three Chinese companies to pay French clothing giant Lacoste 760,000 yuan (US$98,700) in damages for trademark infringement.

La Chemise Lacoste filed a suit against Guangzhou Taie Dress Co Ltd, Beijing-based Nianniangao Garments Co Ltd and the Beijing Urban-Rural Trade Center Co Ltd in July last year, claiming they infringed on its famous crocodile logo.

Taie had a registered "Golden Crocodile" trademark that consisted of a crocodile, waves and two Chinese characters, but the company only used or highlighted the image of the crocodile making it appear almost identical to Lacoste's logo, said a spokesman for the Beijing First Intermediate People's Court yesterday.

The court ordered Taie to stop producing and selling clothes with the crocodile logos and fined it 500,000 yuan.

Nianniangao Garments was fined 200,000 yuan and the Beijing Urban-Rural Trade Center 60,000 yuan for failing to confirm the legality of the trademarks on products they sold, according to the court's ruling.

The trademark of Lacoste has been registered in 192 countries and was listed by China's State Administration for Industry and Commerce as a trademark deserving special protection in 1999 and 2000.

In June last year, it also brought to court the owner of Beijing's Silk Market Plaza and some of its tenants for selling tee-shirts with its label, claiming its trademark was infringed upon.