Hongliang Wang is an intellectual property attorney based in Qionghai, Hainan, focused on trademark registration, protection, and enforcement. He advises domestic and international clients on building and defending their brand portfolios in China's IP landscape. His experience spans trademark prosecution before CNIPA, opposition and invalidation proceedings, administrative enforcement, and civil litigation against infringement. He has represented brand owners from the United States, Europe, Japan, and South Korea.

Trademark Prosecution and Portfolio Management

Mr. Wang assists foreign brand owners in securing protection through China's first-to-file registration system, where the first applicant generally obtains priority regardless of prior use. He manages the complete prosecution lifecycle from pre-filing searches and classification strategy through application, examination response, publication, opposition defense, and registration maintenance. His strategic approach ensures broad protection across relevant Nice Classification classes including defensive registrations for future brand expansion. He also advises on Madrid Protocol international registrations designating China for cost-effective multi-country filing.

Bad-Faith Filings and Trademark Squatting

A major challenge for foreign brands is bad-faith filings by local entities who register well-known foreign marks without authorization, often before the brand enters China. Mr. Wang combats this through opposition proceedings against pending applications based on prior use, reputation, and bad faith. For already-registered marks, he initiates invalidation proceedings arguing the registration was obtained in bad faith. Where squatters actively use the mark, he brings civil actions under the Anti-Unfair Competition Law for passing off.

🛡️ Strategies against bad-faith filings:

• 📜 Oppositions based on prior use and bad faith under Article 32 of the Trademark Law
• ⚠️ Invalidation actions for registrations without genuine intent to use
• 🏛 Civil litigation under Anti-Unfair Competition Law
• 🌐 Madrid Protocol international registrations
• 📊 Systematic trademark watching services
• 📝 Well-known trademark recognition applications

"The window for challenging bad-faith trademark filings in China closes rapidly after publication. Foreign brand owners must implement proactive monitoring from day one of market entry."

Enforcement Against Infringement

When infringement occurs, Mr. Wang provides services from cease-and-desist correspondence through civil litigation. Under the Trademark Law, damages are calculated based on infringer's profits, holder's losses, or statutory damages up to RMB 5 million for willful infringement. He coordinates with local Administration for Market Regulation offices for raids on infringing facilities.

IP Licensing and Transactions

Mr. Wang advises on trademark licensing, assignment, and franchising, ensuring compliance with CNIPA recordal requirements and technology import regulations where applicable.

⚠️ Professional Affiliations: Hainan Bar Association, INTA
📜 Education: LL.B., Tsinghua University; LL.M., Intellectual Property Law
🌐 Languages: English (fluent), Mandarin (native)

Strategic IP Counseling

Beyond his enforcement practice, Mr. Wang provides strategic IP counseling to help clients build comprehensive brand protection programs tailored to the Chinese market. He advises clients on the optimal timing and scope of trademark filings in China, taking into account their business plans, budget constraints, and risk tolerance. He assists clients in developing brand naming strategies that include both the original foreign mark and appropriate Chinese transliterations that are registrable and commercially effective in the Chinese market. He conducts trademark portfolio audits to identify gaps in protection, upcoming renewal deadlines, and opportunities for portfolio optimization. His strategic approach helps clients maximize the value of their IP assets while minimizing the costs and risks associated with trademark prosecution and enforcement in China's unique legal environment. Mr. Wang is an active member of the International Trademark Association INTA and regularly contributes to discussions on IP protection strategies for foreign brand owners in China.

Mr. Wang graduated from Tsinghua University Law School with an LL.B. degree and earned an LL.M. in Intellectual Property Law from the same institution. He is an active member of the International Trademark Association INTA and has participated in several INTA committees focused on trademark protection in Asia. He regularly contributes articles on Chinese trademark law developments to international IP publications and speaks at conferences on brand protection strategies for foreign companies in China. His research has been cited in academic journals and industry publications focusing on intellectual property enforcement in emerging markets.

Mr. Wang's client service philosophy emphasizes the importance of early engagement and proactive portfolio management. He believes that the most cost-effective IP protection strategy is one that prevents problems before they arise through timely registration, careful portfolio management, and vigilant monitoring of the IP landscape. He is committed to providing practical, business-focused advice that helps clients achieve their commercial objectives while building and maintaining strong IP portfolios in China.

Mr. Wang is committed to providing cost-effective IP protection strategies that deliver measurable value to his clients. He understands that trademark prosecution and enforcement can be expensive, particularly for small and medium-sized enterprises with limited budgets, and he works closely with each client to develop a prioritized approach that focuses resources on the most critical protection needs while deferring lower-priority filings and monitoring activities until budget allows. His practical, business-oriented approach has made him a trusted advisor to brand owners across a wide range of industries and budget levels.