China Trademark Office under State Administration for Industry and Commerce (hereafter referred to as CTMO) begins to open online search of trademark registration information to the public, as the reporter was informed in today’s press conference held by CTMO. In the press conference, Mr. An Qinghu, Director General of CTMO, made a brief introduction to automation construction of China’s trademark registration and administration, and announced that CTMO would Starts to provide online search of trademark registration information to the public. This means everybody can search relevant trademark registration information via “China Trademark Website” (http://www.ctmo.gov.cn or http://sbj.saic.gov.cn ) from December 26, 2005.

It is said that the trademark information available for search provided on the trademark registration information website includes the information concerning both registered trademarks and trademark applications.

There are three types of information search available on the website: search of identical or similar trademarks, search of general trademark information and search of trademark application status. Search of identical or similar trademarks refers to the search which is to find out whether the applicant’s trademark is identical with or similar to the trademark of another person that has, in respect of the same or similar goods, been registered or, after examination, preliminarily approved; search of general trademark information refers to the search to find out the information related to a trademark whose registration number (or application number), the name of applicant (or trademark owner) or trademark characters are already known. Search of trademark application status is to find out the present status of a trademark application in the workflow in accordance with application number or registration number.

There are mainly three features in respect of online search of trademark registration information: First, users are free to search on line; Second, the pre-application search provided to the public is basically similar to that used by trademark examiners in CTMO; Third, the trademark search database will be updated once a week.

He also points out that opening trademark online search to the public means China’s trademark automation, openness of government affairs and social service have reached a higher level, which will definitely contribute greatly to search of trademark information by the public, protecting the exclusive right to use a registered trademark and enhancing trademark awareness of the whole society.

Mr. An Qinghu also stresses that after the start of online search of trademark registration information service, CTMO will make every effort to provide as accurate trademark information as possible and keep updating the information in trademark search database. Once wrong information is found in searching, the public can submit correction advice through “Error Report” on the website, and CTMO will correct the relevant information in time after verification.

It is said that “China Trademark Website” is the only website for online search of trademark registration run by the State Administration for Industry and Commerce (SAIC). The path to visit online search of trademark registration information system is: log onto “China Trademark Website”, click “Trademark Search” and then you will enter the search system.