Your trade mark is your identity and is used to market your product. Because you invest time and money into building its reputation, it would be very damaging to your business if someone began selling his or her own products or services using your company name. As your reputation grows around the world, you will have to consider your trade mark’s meaning in each local market and in some cases will have to create a local mark for different consumers. In China, this is particularly important because not only the meaning, but also the sound, tone and even look of the Chinese characters you choose for your trade mark can affect your brand’s reputation. To obtain the full article, send an e-mail to info@flanders-china.be

This article is provided by the China IPR SME Helpdesk, a European Commission funded project that provides free, practical, business advice relating to China IPR to European SMEs. To learn about any aspect of intellectual property rights in China, visit www.china-iprhelpdesk.eu. For free expert advice on China IPR for your business, e-mail questions to:  question@china-iprhelpdesk.eu. The China IPR SME Helpdesk is jointly implemented by DEVELOPMENT Solutions and the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China.