Chinese authorities rejected 109 trademarks applications from businesses that used names of Olympians from the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games without their permission. In the aftermath of an Olympics game that generated big-time domestic stars, some companies started using their names to sell everything from office supplies to beer. But, in many cases, the athletes had not approved, or may not.
Chinese Regime Denies Trademark Using Vice Premier’s First Name
The blacklist of trademarks using names of Chinese Communist Party (CCP) officials has been expanded again following a rejection of the “Chunhua” trademark, owing to its association with Chinese Vice Premier Hu Chunhua.
A “Notice of Trademark Rejection” issued by China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) has been circulating on the internet lately, catalyzed by CNIPA’s decision to turn down the trademark request applied by a company named Chunhua on June 29, 2020.
The official reason for the trademark’s denial, as outlined by the Notice, was that the company’s logo contained the word, “Chunhua,” and “Hu Chunhua” was an incumbent member of the Politiburo of the CCP Central Committee and a vice premier of the State Council. Accordingly, its use as a trademark was, “likely to produce adverse social influence.”