China Gives Trump 38 Trademarks Including One for Escort Service
By Bridget O'Donnell
In a move that's sure to please the US President, China just granted preliminary approval for 38 Trump trademarks — including one for an escort service. (Classy!)
Trump's lawyers in China applied for the marks back in April 2016. They cover a wide range of branded businesses, including hotels, insurance, bodyguard and escort services, spas, massage parlors, golf clubs, hotels, finance and real estate firms, retail shops, restaurants and bars.
It's unclear if any of these businesses will ever actually materialize. But perhaps they might be headquartered in Beijing, where Trump is using a state-owned hotel as a business address. (See our look inside the hotel here).
The Guardian reports that China's Trademark Office approved the provisional approvals for the marks on February 27 and March 6. If there are no objections, the marks will be approved in 90 days.
All but three of the marks are in the President's name, and he already earned a 10-year trademark on his name for construction services last month. That could spell doom for Chinese luxury toilet brand Trump Toilets.
Critics argue that his growing portfolio of China trademarks raise a number of potential conflicts of interest.
China has begun taking intellectual property rights more seriously. Last December, basketball legend Michael Jordan won the rights to his Chinese name in a trademark case.
The ruling was said to be a landmark decision and could set a major precedent for foreign firms considering pursuing similar copyright infringement cases in China.
[Images via National Post, Washington Post]
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