China’s Trademark Publication/Opposition Period to be Shortened from 3 Months to 2 Months

The publication/opposition period for Chinese trademarks will be shortened from three months to two months. This adjustment takes effect on January 1, 2027; meaning that trademarks published on or after this date will be subject to a two-month publication period.

This change stems from the amendment to the *Trademark Law of the People’s Republic of China*, adopted on June 26, 2026, at the 23rd Session of the Standing Committee of the 14th National People’s Congress, which officially enters into force on January 1, 2027.

According to Article 36 of the amendment: regarding a trademark preliminarily approved and published, holders of prior rights or interested parties may file an opposition with the trademark administration department under the State Council within two months of the publication date if they believe the trademark violates Articles 20 through 22, Article 23 (Paragraph 1), or Article 24 of the Law. Additionally, any person may file an opposition if they believe the trademark violates Article 15, Article 16 (Paragraph 1), Articles 17 through 19, or Article 25. If no opposition is filed by the end of the publication period, the trademark shall be approved for registration, a trademark registration certificate shall be issued, and the registration shall be publicly announced.

This adjustment significantly shortens the opposition period, thereby accelerating the overall trademark registration process. However, it also narrows the window for holders of prior rights to protect their interests; rights holders wishing to safeguard their rights via opposition must now react more quickly, placing considerable pressure on trademark monitoring efforts. A momentary lapse in attention could result in missing the publication period. Nevertheless, there is no need for undue concern: even if the opposition window is missed, rights holders can still protect their interests by initiating invalidation proceedings.

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