Legal basis: Trademark Law of People's Republic of China (PRC).
Article 28 The Trademark Office shall, within nine months from the date of receiving the application documents for trademark registration, complete the examination of the trademark applied for registration, and if it meets the relevant provisions of this Law, make a preliminary examination and approval announcement.
Article 29 In the course of examination, if the Trademark Office considers that the contents of the application for trademark registration need to be explained or modified, it may request the applicant to make explanations or modifications. If the applicant does not make explanations or amendments, it will not affect the examination decision of the Trademark Office.
Article 30 Where a trademark applied for registration does not conform to the relevant provisions of this Law or is identical with or similar to a trademark that has been registered or preliminarily approved by others on the same kind of goods or similar goods, the Trademark Office shall reject the application without making an announcement.
Article 31 Where two or more applicants for trademark registration apply for registration with the same or similar trademarks on the same commodity or similar commodities, they shall make a preliminary examination of the trademark applied earlier and make an announcement; Where an application is filed on the same day, the prior trademark shall be preliminarily examined and announced, and the application of others shall be rejected without announcement.
Article 32 An application for trademark registration shall not damage the prior rights of others, nor shall it preempt the registration of a trademark that has been used by others and has certain influence by unfair means.
Article 33. Within three months from the date of the announcement of preliminary examination and approval, the prior obligee or interested party considers that the trademark violates the provisions of Article 13, paragraphs 2 and 3, Article 15, Article 16, paragraph 1, Article 30, Article 31 and Article 32 of this Law, or that it violates the provisions of Article 4, Article 10, Article 11, Article 12 and Article 19, paragraph 4 of this Law. If there is no objection at the expiration of the announcement period, the registration shall be approved, a trademark registration certificate shall be issued and an announcement shall be made.