China to approve its first sound trademark

BEIJING -- A State-owned radio station's signature tune is about to be approved as China's first sound trademark.

The State Administration for Industry and Commerce (SAIC) said on Sunday that it has reviewed the application from China Radio International and plans to approve it.

A sound trademark is a sound that is used to perform the trademark function of uniquely identifying the commercial origin of products or services. Famous examples include the Nokia tune and the "I'm lovin' it" jingle of McDonald's.

China's top legislature revised the Trademark Law to allow sound to be registered as a trademark in 2013.

The SAIC had received 450 applications for sound trademarks by the end of January since starting to accept such applications in May 2014.