What is the trademark use and protection timeframe?
Trademark registration is effective from the date of authorization, lasting for seven years, counting from the approval of the application. It is renewable for equal lengths of time, and must be renewed prior to six months before its expiration. Non-registered trademarks can be used. Whoever uses a non-registered trademark for six months has priority and within this period of six months, has filing priority and may oppose applications already filed by others. The holder of the trademark has the right to attach indications of trademark or any equivalent expressions or abbreviations in English, or any equivalent expressions or abbreviations in English, or their equivalent in Chinese or the Romanized expressions from Cantonese or Mandarin.
