By Xiaoxue Xiang
On November 21, 2025, the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) officially issued the Notice on Strengthening the Administration of Trademark Use. The notice aims to comprehensively regulate trademark use nationwide, demonstrate the government’s firm commitment to protecting consumer rights and ensuring fair competition, and provide strong support for building a unified national market.
The notice instructs IP authorities across all provinces, autonomous regions, municipalities, and the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps to intensify supervision of trademark-related violations. Enforcement will focus on sectors closely tied to public welfare—such as food, pharmaceuticals, children’s toys, and household appliances—and will target deceptive use of unregistered trademarks and unlawful use of registered trademarks.
Seven Key Categories of Violations Targeted for Rectification
Deceptive use of unregistered trademarks: Using terms such as “exclusive supply,” “special supply,” “organic,” or “zero additives” without registration, or fabricating attributes such as origin or production methods that do not match the actual product.
Deceptive use of registered trademarks: Unauthorized alteration of registered particulars, or using the trademark together with advertising slogans or packaging in a way that misleads the public about product quality or origin, or that exploits the goodwill of others’ trademarks.
Falsely claiming trademark registration: Marking unregistered trademarks with registration symbols or falsely claiming that a trademark is “registered.”
Failure to register when required:Tobacco products, including new forms such as e‑cigarettes, failing to use registered trademarks as required by law.
Improper use of “well‑known trademark” claims: Highlighting the term “well‑known trademark” in commercial promotion or advertising.
Misuse of collective or certification marks: Using collective or certification marks on goods that do not meet the quality standards set out in their use management rules.
Illegal conduct by trademark agencies: Filing malicious trademark applications, initiating malicious non‑use cancellation actions (“three‑year cancellations”), or engaging in other practices that harm legitimate rights holders.
A Multi‑Dimensional Enforcement Framework
To ensure effective supervision, the notice establishes a full‑chain governance mechanism:
Enhanced inter‑departmental coordination: Establishing a division‑of‑responsibility mechanism between IP authorities and market regulators, improving reporting channels for violations, and enabling information sharing and joint enforcement.
Strengthened key inspections: Combining routine supervision with public‑opinion monitoring to identify violations in livelihood‑related sectors, and coordinating cross‑regional cases through hierarchical mechanisms.
Improved compliance guidance: Providing trademark compliance education for businesses, urging operators to uphold integrity and maintain the link between trademark reputation and product quality.
Strict credit‑based penalties: Including serious violators in the IP “seriously dishonest entities” list and imposing joint disciplinary measures across departments to ensure proportionate punishment.
Promoting industry self‑discipline: Encouraging trademark agencies and industry associations to uphold integrity and promote proper trademark application and use practices.
Building a Broad Social Consensus on IP Protection
Beyond strengthened enforcement, CNIPA will promote legal awareness through publicity campaigns, publication of typical cases, and dissemination of best practices, fostering a societal environment that values “respect for exclusive trademark rights and lawful, standardized trademark use.”
Officials emphasized that this special enforcement initiative is a key measure under the Outline for Building an Intellectual Property Power and an essential component of constructing a unified national market. By curbing deceptive and misleading trademark practices, the initiative aims to restore trademarks to their core functions, indicating product origin and guaranteeing quality and reputation. This will not only strengthen consumer protection but also create a fair competitive environment for compliant enterprises, enhancing market trust and vitality.
Cover Photo by Agence Olloweb on Unsplash