The Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Commerce jointly released the Circular on Management of Special Fund for Development of Small-Medium-Sized Commerce Enterprises in 2009.  Under the Circular, government will earmark the cost for trademark protection of long-honored brands and their technical innovation.  In 2009, such activities will concentrate in nine long-honored-brand dense areas, Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Shandong, Qingdao, Guangdong and Sichuan.  Those companies with profound cultural foundation and unique processing techniques are among the first to be supported in defensive registration of trademark, technical upgrade and technique innovation.

(China IP News)