Recently, the conference on Trademark Protection and Innovation for Time-Honored Brands initiated by the Department of Commerce of Guangdong Province and the Guangdong Trademark Association was held during the China Import and Export Fair in Guangzhou, supported by Chang Tsi & Partners. Nancy Qu, Deputy Director of the firm, was invited to deliver a keynote speech and participate in a panel discussion, with attorney Zhiling Zhao served as the moderator. Together with government officials, legal representatives from enterprises, legal experts and professionals, they engaged in discussions on the challenges of trademark protection and opportunities for innovative development faced by time-honored brands in the new era.

Under current global technological and economic dynamics, China is currently actively implementing the "Outline for Building a Powerful Intellectual Property Nation (2021-2035)" and the "Measures for the Demonstration and Creation Management of China Time-Honored Brands" issued by the government. As a major economic and foreign trade province, Guangdong has responded to national initiatives by introducing the "Implementation Plan for Developing the Geographical Indication Industry in Guangdong Province," which provides policy support for the development of local brands. Against this backdrop, time-honored brands not only carry the mission of cultural inheritance but also urgently need to enhance their market competitiveness through trademark protection and business innovation to address the multiple challenges brought by globalization.

Despite the high reputation and historical accumulation, time-honored brands still facing severe challenges in trademark protection. Issues such as malicious trademark squatting, ownership disputes, and cross-border trademark conflicts have become significant obstacles hindering the further development.  Moreover, in the process of globalization, time-honored enterprises are usually deterred by problems such as high costs of overseas rights protection and substantial expenses involved in cross-border litigation. Furthermore, due to differences in trademark legal systems across countries, companies often lack understanding of local trademark examination standards, usage requirements, and renewal procedures. At the same time, with the rapid development of the digital economy, infringement issues on cross-border e-commerce platforms are prominent, and the complex rules of overseas e-platforms pose significant difficulties for enterprises in enforcing their rights.

In her presentation, Nancy Qu drew on years of practical experience to systematically analyze the typical problems encountered by time-honored enterprises in trademark validation, enforcement, and utilization. She indicated the importance of clarifying trademark ownership and complete global registration. On the other hand, it is also essential for enterprises to establish routine monitoring and rapid response mechanisms to effectively address malicious squatting and unauthorized use.

During the panel discussion, Nancy Qu further engaged in dialogue with experts from academia, business, and technology sectors on the topic of "How Intellectual Property Can Facilitate the Renewal of Time-Honored Brands." She noted that it is important to integrate intellectual property strategy into the entire brand development process, including risk anticipation and rights planning in co-branding collaborations, digital marketing, and global expansion.

As a leading IP law firm, Chang Tsi & Partners provides clients with international perspective-based brand protection solutions, helping traditional brands reduce legal risks and enhance asset value during transformation. Through years of legal research and practice in emerging fields such as the internet and cross-border e-commerce, the firm is capable of offering  one-stop solutions including overseas trademark search, registration applications, monitoring and maintenance, infringement investigations, administrative complaints and litigation enforcement, supporting Chinese brands entering the international market.