(Adopted at the 24th Session of the Standing Committee of the Fifth National People's Congress on 23 August 1982, revised for the first time according to the Decision on the Amendment of the Trademark Law of the People's Republic of China adopted at the 30th Session of the Standing Committee of the Seventh National People's Congress, on 22 February 1993, and revised for the second time according to the Decision on the Amendment of the Trademark Law of the People's Republic of China adopted at the 24th Session of the Standing Committee of the Ninth National People's Congress on 27 October 2001)

Chapter l General Provisions

Article 1 This Law is enacted for the purposes of improving the administration of trademarks, protecting the exclusive right to use trademarks, and of encouraging producers and operators to guarantee the quality of their goods and services and maintaining the reputation of their trademarks, with a view to protecting the interests of consumers, producers and operators and to promoting the development of the socialist market economy.

Article 2 The Trademark Office of the administrative authority for industry and commerce under the State Council shall be responsible for the registration and administration of trademarks throughout the country.

The Trademark Review and Adjudication Board, established under the administrative authority for industry and commerce under the State Council, shall be responsible for handling matters of trademark disputes.

Article 3 Registered trademarks mean trademarks that have been approved and registered by the Trademark Office, including trademarks, service marks, collective marks and certification marks; the trademark registrants shall enjoy the exclusive right to use the trademarks, and be protected by law.

Said collective marks mean sings which are registered in the name of bodies, associations or other organizations to be used by the members thereof in their commercial activities to indicate their membership of the organizations.

Said certification marks mean signs which are controlled by organizations capable of supervising some goods or services and used by entities or individual persons outside the organization for their goods or services to certify the origin, material, mode of manufacture, quality or other characteristics of the goods or services.

Regulations for the particular matters of registration and administration of collective and certification marks shall be established by the administrative authority for industry and commerce under the State Council.

Article 4 Any natural person, legal entity or other organization intending to acquire the exclusive right to use a trademark for the goods produced, manufactured, processed, selected or marketed by it or him shall file an application for the registration of the trademark with the Trademark Office. Any natural person, legal entity or other organization intending to acquire the exclusive right to use a service mark for the service provided by it or him, shall file an application for the registration of the service mark with the Trademark Office.

The provisions set forth in this Law concerning trademarks shall apply to service marks.

Article 5 Two or more natural persons, legal entities or other organizations may jointly file an application for the registration for the same trademark with the Trademark Office, and jointly enjoy and exercise the exclusive right to use the trademark.

Article 6 As for any of such goods, as prescribed by the State, that must bear a registered trademark, a trademark registration must be applied for. Where no trademark registration has been granted, such goods cannot be marketed.

Article 7 Any user of a trademark shall be responsible for the quality of the goods in respect of which the trademark is used. The administrative authorities for industry and commerce at different levels shall, through the administration of trademarks, stop any practice that deceives consumers.

Article 8 In respect of any visual sign capable of distinguishing the goods or service of one natural person, legal entity or any other organization from that of others, including any word, design, letters of an alphabet, numerals, three-dimensional symbol, combinations of colors, and their combination, an application may be filed for registration.

Article 9 Any trademark in respect of which an application for registration is filed shall be so distinctive as to be distinguishable, and shall not conflict with any prior right acquired by another person.

A trademark registrant has the right to use the words of "registered trademark" or a symbol to indicate that his trademark is registered.

Article 10 The following signs shall not be used as trademarks:

(1) those identical with or similar to the State name, national flag, national emblem, military flag, or decorations, of the People's Republic of China, with names of the places where the Central and State organs are located, or with the names and designs of landmark buildings;

(2) those identical with or similar to the State names, national flags, national emblems or military flags of foreign countries, except that the foreign state government agrees otherwise on the use;

(3) those identical with or similar to the names, flags or emblems or names, of international intergovernmental organizations, except that the organizations agree otherwise on the use or that it is not easy for the use to mislead the public;

(4) those identical with or similar to official signs and hallmarks, showing official control or warranty by them, except that the use thereof is otherwise authorized;

(5) those identical with or simi1ar to the symbols, or names, of the Red Cross or the Red Crescent;

(6) those having the nature of discrimination against any nationality;

(7) those having the nature of exaggeration and fraud in advertising goods; and

(8) those detrimental to socialist morals or customs, or having other unhealthy influences.

The geographical names as the administrative divisions at or above the county level and the foreign geographical names well known to the public shall not be used as trademarks, but such geographical terms as have otherwise meanings or are a part of collective marks/or a certification marks shall be exclusive. Where a trademark using any of the above-mentioned geographical names has been approved and registered, it shall continue to be valid.