In Chinese trademark law, the Nice Classification applies, but the CNIPA imposes specific rules: sub-classes have independent legal value. In other words, registering under class 33 (wines) without including the relevant sub-classes may leave your trademark unprotected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Let\u2019s take a concrete case: a French spirits company registered its trademark under class 33, but did not include the sub-class covering liqueurs. The result? A Chinese competitor was able to register a nearly identical name in that sub-category and use it legally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Case law shows that Chinese courts strictly apply these distinctions. Failing to register in the correct sub-classes leaves the company with no legal recourse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This excessive granularity, specific to the Chinese system, requires a thorough analysis of the company\u2019s business scope at the time of filing. It\u2019s not enough to aim \u201cbroad\u201d: you must aim precisely. A trademark filed under the wrong sub-class may lose all legal value in case of a dispute.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Another common mistake: omitting certain \u201crelated\u201d classes. For example, a clothing company registering only under class 25 (apparel) might overlook class 35 (retail services), thereby exposing its trademark to unauthorized commercial use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n