China adopted a revised Trademark Law on 26 June 2026. The law is scheduled to take effect on 1 January 2027. Until then, a guide to a live matter must distinguish the law currently in force from the enacted future text.
The CNIPA revision portal links the enacted text, an official summary and explanatory material. The published law states the effective date in Article 87. This page is an independent reading aid, not an official interpretation or a case-specific legal opinion.
What is the rule today?
As checked on 2 November 2026, the 2019 amended Trademark Law is the current text for procedures already underway. The 2026 revision has been adopted but is not yet effective. A search result titled “2026 Trademark Law” may refer to the future text, so the title alone cannot tell you which version governs a filing or a notice.
What deserves preparation?
CNIPA’s summary of the revision identifies changes to registration conditions, trademark use, management and protection. It also describes rules concerning applications made without an intention to use and beyond normal business needs. These are topics for portfolio review; they do not establish that a particular application will be accepted or refused.
One concrete date-sensitive example is opposition after preliminary publication. Article 33 of the 2019 text specifies three months from publication. Article 36 of the 2026 revised law specifies two months, but that revised law does not take effect until 1 January 2027. A matter spanning commencement needs its official record and any final transitional measure checked; do not automatically shorten a live 2026 deadline.
For a foreign brand, a useful first step is to list its pending China applications, registered marks, Chinese names and planned goods or services. Record which files may still be pending at the effective date. Ask the responsible China professional to compare the specific matter with the enacted law and any applicable implementation measure. Do not replace a current filing deadline with a general article about the future law.
Do draft implementation documents already apply?
CNIPA published a consultation notice on proposed processing measures on 28 September 2026. A consultation draft is a proposal. It should be monitored for the final rule and effective date; it should not be presented as an operative filing requirement.
For every legal statement in this guide series, check four labels: the source, its publication date, the effective date of the rule, and the procedural date of your own matter. If one is missing, pause before relying on the statement.
What should a client send for review?
Send a non-confidential summary identifying the applicant, mark, China application or registration numbers, any official notices and the relevant dates. The contact page helps prepare a first brief. Avoid sending confidential case files through a public page until the appropriate intake channel is agreed.
CNIPA revision portal; 2026 revised law; CNIPA summary; 2019 amended law; 2026 consultation notice. Checked 2 November 2026.