Recently, the China Internet Network Information Center (CNNIC) released the 55th Statistical Report on China’s Internet Development, which ranks the most common domain suffixes in China. According to the report, .CN, .COM, .NET, .INFO, and .BIZ are widely used. Lao Yang from Putui Intellectual Property excluded .ORG (which cannot be filed for record in China) and .中国 (which is not widely adopted in practice).
The American company Dexter registered multiple “DEXTER” trademarks in China. However, an individual named Yang preemptively registered a disputed domain containing “DEXTER.” Dexter filed a complaint under the Rules for Domain Name Dispute Resolution. The arbitration panel ruled that Yang’s actions constituted bad faith registration and ordered the domain transferred to Dexter. Trademark rights hold priority in domain disputes.
When Tesla entered the Chinese market, it discovered its trademark and domain had been squatted. After multiple negotiations, a settlement was reached: the squatter agreed to transfer all relevant trademarks and domains to Tesla.
In the internet era, trademarks and domains are critical intellectual property assets. Trademark rights consistently take precedence over domain rights—a principle central to domain dispute resolution. Enterprises should prioritize securing trademark rights while strategically planning domain registrations to maximize brand value.