type: timeline_event China's trademark office granted final approval for 13 Ivanka Trump trademarks over three months in early 2018, and later provisionally approved 16 more in October 2018, according to AP reviews of official records. The brand said filings were routine defensive registrations; ethics groups cited conflict-of-interest risks given Ivanka Trump's government role.
Additional sources reveal that the trademark approvals coincided with sensitive US-China trade negotiations and potential policy decisions affecting Chinese companies, raising significant ethical concerns about potential improper influence.