A factory in China has been fined nearly 1,500 dollars for illegally using US President Barack Obama's image and name to advertise its ballpoint pen, state media reported Wednesday.

Authorities in the eastern province of Zhejiang imposed the 10,000 yuan fine and confiscated more than 2,000 ballpoint pen and their packaging, which promoted the product as "Ball pen used by Obama" and "Made in USA", the Global Times said.

The owner of the Wenzhou Longwan Zhuangyuan pen factory claimed he did not understand English and promised to obey the law in future.