Trump Company Moves to Protect Brand in Chinese Gambling Hub – New York Times

The Trump Organization has been zealously enforcing and protecting its intellectual property rights around the world for more than 20 years, particularly in jurisdictions where trademark infringement is rampant, Amanda Miller, a spokeswoman for the Trump Organization, said in an email. The trademark applications you are referring to simply represent a continuation of those efforts.

Macau, a former Portuguese enclave on Chinas southern coast that returned to Chinese control in 1999, is the only part of China where casino gambling is legal. After it opened up its gambling monopoly in 2001, new casinos and an influx of visitors from mainland China led to a full gambling boom, attracting American companies like Las Vegas Sands and Wynn Resorts. The tiny enclave surpassed the Las Vegas Strip for total revenues in 2006.

Mr. Trump began operating casinos in Atlantic City in the 1980s, eventually running four that held as much as about 30 percent of the citys gambling market in the 1990s. His casino companies sought bankruptcy protection multiple times, and he quit the board in 2009.

Trump trademark applications in Macau go back to 2006 and include Trump, Donald J. Trump, Trump Tower, Trump International Hotel and Tower and Chun Pou a Cantonese version of Mr. Trumps name.

The licenses issued after Macau opened up its gambling monopoly will soon begin to expire, which could open the market further. The South China Morning Post reported on the filings on Sunday.

Gaming concessions for the six casino operators in Macau will expire between 2020 to 2022, Desmond Lam, an associate business professor at the University of Macau, said by email. The industry is still somewhat unclear what will happen to these concessionaires after that. Recently, there have been some rumors that the Macau government may allow a seventh operator to enter this market.

The Trump business has picked up efforts to protect its name in mainland China as well. China approved a Trump trademark for the use of his name in construction services in February, shortly after he acknowledged he would maintain American policy toward Taiwan, a key issue for Chinas leaders. The presidents critics said the episode showed how his companys overseas endeavors create a perception problem and expose him to potential conflicts.

The Trump business now holds at least 125 registered or provisionally approved trademarks in mainland China for a variety of services and products. Last month a trademark for the Trump name in relation to hotel restaurants was officially registered. Mr. Trump has no businesses in China, but the trademarks give some protection of his name in a country where knockoffs are commonplace.

The Trump Organization says those trademarks are registered with an affiliate and have nothing to do with Mr. Trump.

After denouncing China and its large trade gap with the United States during the presidential campaign, Mr. Trump eased off his criticism in hopes Beijing would be able to help curb North Koreas missile and nuclear weapons program.

But in recent weeks Mr. Trump has declared Chinas efforts to constrain Kim Jong-un, the Norths leader, a failure, declaring last month on Twitter he was very disappointed in China.

Zhang Tiantian in Beijing contributed research.

A version of this article appears in print on August 8, 2017, on Page A16 of the New York edition with the headline: Trump Company Moves to Protect Its Trademark in Chinese Gambling Hub.

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Trump Company Moves to Protect Brand in Chinese Gambling Hub - New York Times