China’s first sound trademark approved

China’s government has revealed that it has approved its first sound trademark.

The application, approved on Sunday, July 10, was by China Radio International, a state-owned radio station, which applied for the mark at the China Trademark Office (CTMO).

The trademark is for a jingle belonging to the radio station.

Liu Junchen, vice director at China’s State Administration for Industry and Commerce, under which the CTMO operates, said revised trademark rules clearly state that a single sound can be applied for as a trademark.

“For instance, the opening tune of China Radio International has been reviewed and approved as the very first sound trademark,” Junchen added.

The country revised its trademark law in 2013 to allow sounds to be registered and started accepting applications in May 2014.

By the end of January 2016, the CTMO had rec eived 450 applications.