What happens if the search returns a mark similar (or identical) to the one I wish to register?

Chinese Trademark Databases contains millions of marks, and since China is a first-to-file jurisdiction, meaning that anyone who registers a mark in the country is its rightful owner, the phenomenon of bad-faith filers is quite common. If a similar mark is found in our search, and the mark is still in its publication stage, you may oppose the mark's registration. If a mark is already registered by a bad-faith actor, there are fewer avenues for obtaining the rights to your mark, so we always advise our clients to conduct searches and to register their brand in China as soon as possible (even prior to entering the market).