In response to the Hangzhou Intermediate People's Court ruling in favor of Wahaha's right to its trademark, Danone Group yesterday said it will pursue all legal options to protect its contractual rights and financial interests.

Wahaha spokesman Shan Qining said: "What we want to say to Danone's statement is only one sentence: 'We respect the decision of the court and we respect the law.'"

Hangzhou-based Wahaha Group had earlier said the Hangzhou Intermediate People's Court had rejected Danone's appeal of Hangzhou arbitration commission's ruling in favor of Wahaha in a dispute over the ownership of the Wahaha trademark.