China trademark registration: file before someone else does
China protects whoever files first, not whoever uses the mark first. If your trademark is not registered in China, anyone can file it and then block your exports, your factory or your online store.
UB China registers your trademark with the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) and defends it.
How we protect your trademark in China
- Prior search in the Chinese register and review of your mark’s status with Customs.
- Filing with CNIPA in the right classes, including a Chinese-character version.
- Customs recordation to stop infringing goods at the border.
- Monitoring and enforcement: oppositions, invalidation of bad-faith registrations and administrative, civil or criminal action.
What you need to know
- A registered trademark lasts 10 years and can be renewed indefinitely for further 10-year periods.
- Licences and assignments must be recorded with CNIPA to be effective against third parties.
- Well-known marks can be protected beyond their registered classes.
- The 2019 Trademark Law strengthened sanctions against bad-faith filings.
- For malicious infringement, courts can award damages of up to five times the loss.
Patents, designs and copyright
We also file invention patents (20 years), utility models (10 years) and designs (15 years), and register software and works with the NCAC. In licensing agreements and joint ventures we define who owns the technology; Chinese law prohibits authorities from forcing its transfer.
FAQ
Can I register from abroad?
Yes, without travelling to China.
Someone already registered my mark. What can I do?
You can seek invalidation or cancellation for bad faith or non-use; act quickly.
Do I need a Chinese-language mark?
Strongly recommended: the market will give you a Chinese name if you do not choose one.
Does my home registration protect me in China?
No. Each country registers separately.
Doing business with China? Let us talk.