China has granted preliminary approval for 38 trademarks to Donald Trump’s family business, leading to accusations that Beijing is trying to curry favour with the White House. The move marked a victory for Mr Trump, who for a decade had battled unsuccessfully to stop his name being attached to an array of Chinese products — including a Trump toilet, a Trump condom, and a Trump pacemaker — without his permission. His political opponents alleged that the sudden change of heart at the Chinese trademark office was evidence that Mr Trump is reaping commercial benefits from the presidency, potentially breaching the constitution. Mr Trump’s lawyers applied for the trademarks, for services ranging from luxury hotels to weather forecasting, in April 2016, during the US election campaign.…

Source: The Times March 09, 2017 00:56 UTC