Philippe Lacoste, CEO of French fashion an sports brand Lacoste, says the company will leave Chinese market, if the country`s authorities fail to ban the Shanghai-based Crocodile International, from using the almost complete copy of Lacoste`s trademark crocodile logo (Lacoste's crocodile faces right while the Singapore company's faces left).

The company has recently lost a lawsuit in Shanghai court, and threatens to withdraw from the lucrative Chinese market, despite its proven potential to be one of Lacoste's top three markets in 10 years.

Of 4 million pounds that the company spends annually on fighting piracy, half is spent in China. Philippe Lacoste says he believes they will ultimately be successful. We had our trademark registered first. The law is very clear about that," he said.