The Chinese government has granted U.S. President Donald Trump and his business protection for the use of the 'Trump' name in the construction industry.
Trump fought unsuccessfully in Chinese courts for years to try to gain control of the trademark. It was only last year during the later stages of his campaign for the White House that China's trademark review board announced, in September, that it had invalidated a rival claim for the Trump trademark, clearing the way for Trump to move in, reports the CNN.
In November, soon after the election, it awarded the trademark to the Trump Organisation. The trademark was officially registered this week after a three-month notice period for objections expired.
However, the sequence of events makes some ethics experts uncomfortable who believe that Chinese authorities reversed their position as Trump rose politically.
"China is going to want concessions from Mr. Trump and this is now the first in what will be a series of efforts to influence him," said Norman Eisen, a White House ethics counsel under President Obama.
But Trump Organisation attorneys told CNN that it was simply trying to protect the Trump trademark from someone who had been improperly squatting on it and that any accusation that President Trump could be compromised by the trademark decision granted by the Chinese government is completely baseless and shows a disregard for the facts.
It is difficult to assess the value of the new trademark. It covers construction-related services, not for Trump's core hospitality and real-estate businesses.
Trump already holds dozens of trademarks in China and is seeking dozens more.
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