China: An initiative aimed at facilitating the fight against trademark counterfeiting

To mark World Intellectual Property Day on April 26, 2026, an initiative led by organizations affiliated with the Chinese government aims to improve the identification of well-known trademarks during market inspections. This initiative may be of interest to certain trademark owners facing counterfeiting issues in China.

A publication intended for regulatory authorities

The Chinese market supervision authority plans to publish a special edition of the China Industry and Commerce Newspaper dedicated to identifying recognized Chinese and foreign trademarks. Trademark owners may request the inclusion of information regarding their trademarks (owner’s identity, registration numbers, authentic products, etc.) so that local authorities can more easily identify them during market inspections.

The goal is to make it easier for local authorities responsible for market surveillance and combating intellectual property rights infringements to detect counterfeit products.

A visibility tool for trademark owners

The primary purpose of this publication is to raise awareness among administrative authorities responsible for enforcing trademark law. It could help local officials better recognize certain trademarks and more quickly identify products that may constitute counterfeits during market inspections.

As trademark protection and the fight against intellectual property rights infringements remain priorities for Chinese authorities, initiatives aimed at improving administrative enforcement of these rights are on the rise. In particular, China is continuing its efforts to strengthen its intellectual property protection system and improve enforcement mechanisms.

An initiative that has no direct legal effect on the scope of protection of your trademark

It should be noted, however, that this publication does not automatically confer legal recognition of well-known trademark status. Under Chinese law, the designation of “well-known trademark” can only be granted through specific administrative or judicial proceedings, based on substantial evidence of reputation.

This initiative should therefore be viewed as a complementary tool for raising awareness and fostering cooperation with the authorities, rather than as a legal mechanism conferring an additional right.

Important for trademark owners

For companies operating in China or facing counterfeit products in that market, this initiative can serve as an additional way to increase their brand’s visibility among market surveillance authorities.

However, it does not replace traditional protection strategies, such as:

• early trademark registration in China;
• the monitoring of deposits and markets;
• the collection of evidence of use and reputation

Please feel free to contact us for more information on this topic.