Licensing your trademark to a Chinese manufacturer, distributor, or franchisee requires careful legal structuring to protect your brand rights.
All trademark licenses must be recorded with CNIPA to be enforceable against third parties. The licensor and licensee must sign a license agreement and file it with CNIPA within 3 months of signing.
Chinese law requires that license agreements include quality control provisions. The licensor must maintain the right to supervise the quality of goods/services bearing the licensed mark.
Sub-licensing is permitted only if expressly authorized in the license agreement.
Upon license termination, the licensee must cease use of the mark. Non-compete clauses may be included but must be reasonable in scope and duration.