Qianshan's Gree near apex in trademark registrations

Gree Electric Appliances ranked second only after Huawei Technologies in the number of valid international trademark registrations among Guangdong enterprises, according to data released by the Hengqin New Area Industrial & Commercial Bureau on May 10.

Huawei, which is based in Shenzhen, is the largest telecommunications equipment manufacturer in the world. Gree Electric Appliances, headquartered on West Jinji Road in Qianshan, is the world's largest residential air-conditioner manufacturer. Gree also makes electric fans, water dispensers, heaters, rice cookers, air purifiers, water kettles, humidifiers, and induction cookers. Following them in the trademark rankings are Shenzhen DJI Technology, ZTE Corp of Shenzhen, and Guangdong Alpha Animation & Culture Co Ltd of Guangzhou in the Madrid system for the international registration of marks.

Gree workshop [File photo]

The Protocol Relating to the Madrid Agreement Concerning the International Registration of Marks is one of two treaties comprising the Madrid System. The Madrid Protocol provides a cost-effective and efficient way for trademark holders -- individuals and businesses -- to ensure protection in multiple countries through the filing of one application with a single office, in one language, with one set of fees, in one currency.

In the first quarter of this year, Guangdong Province received 158,019 applications for trademark registration and 115,881 were approved, both ranking first with proportions of 19.6 percent and 19.2 percent respectively nationwide. Besides the rapid growth of domestic applications for trademark registration, Guangdong's Madrid international trademark registration is also growing quickly. In 2016, the valid registration number of Guangdong applicants reached 4,962, leading nationwide with an increase of 9 percent year on year.   

By the end of 2016, the top five cities of Guangdong’s Madrid valid trademark registrations were Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Foshan, Dongguan, and Shantou.