Beijing Man Wants to Sell 'Bushi' Diapers [View All]

A Beijing businessman wants to trademark the Chinese name of US President George W. Bush to market his disposable diapers.

The applicant, surnamed Guo, filed an application with the General Administration for Industry and Commerce of China, stating he wants to use the two-character phrase "Bushi" as a trademark, the Beijing News reported.

"I hit upon the idea by chance," said Guo, who became a Beijing resident three years ago. "Back in my hometown in Henan Province, the pronunciation of 'Bushi' sounds exactly like 'not wet'."

While Bush's critics might get a good laugh out of the product, government officials don't seem to appreciate Guo's humor. His application is very likely to be rejected "because it may bring about bad social impact if a leader's name is registered as a trademark," according to an official surnamed Liu at the State Trademark Bureau.

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