All packages come with FREE Certificate of Incumbency Click Here!
How to start?
The company can submit an application with the China Trade Mark Office directly or file the application through the World Intellectual Property Organization.
How fast does it take?
The duration of application is about 12 to 18 months and its registration validity last a period of 10 years. Companies may want to submit the renewal application 6 months before the expiry.
Have more questions?
Many famous companies have lost trademark disputes in China. A recent example is that the original MUJI (Japanese company in 1990) had to compensate the Chinese company MUJI (Beijing company in 2015) for trademark infringement. Due to the difference of culture, legal systems and practice, it is important for companies to register its intellectual property in China as early as possible.
Another example is the French luxury group, Hermes, has lost its trademark infringement lawsuit to a Guangdong China cased clothing company, Dafeng Garment Factory. While Hermes has registered its English name back in 1977, they never registered its Chinese name as a trademark. In 1995, Dafeng Garment Factory applied the Chinese pronounced name “爱玛仕” of Hermes for its clothing products. The application had passed the board’s preliminary review and was then announced to the public. In 1997, Hermes appealed to the board, claiming that the name is remarkably similar to their Chinese name “爱马仕”. The two names share the same pinyin spelling, Ai Ma Sh. However, the trademark board rejected Hermes’ appeal in 2001.
If a trademark is successfully registered in the Mainland of China, does it mean the trademark is also protected in the Hong Kong?
No. Registering a trademark in the Mainland of China and in Hong Kong is a separate system of protection and registration. Having a registered trademark in Mainland of China does not automatically protect your mark in Hong Kong. It also does not cover elsewhere in the world. You can apply for the registration of a trademark in each separate jurisdiction.
If you want to protect your rights in China, feel free to contact our specialist at info@getstarted.hk
We would like to hear from you.
If you have any further questions about company registration or incorporation in Hong Kong, please fill out the form below.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Suite C, Level 7, World Trust Tower, 50 Stanley Street, Central, Hong Kong
See Our Offices
Get Started HK
