It's not "China Petrochemical," it's "Zhongyuan Petrochemical"! Hebei Zhongyuan Petrochemical says the name was approved and has been operating for over 10 years.

Recently, a netizen from Hebei posted, “I was careless, this looks too much like Sinopec!” While refueling, they were puzzled as to why the fuel price was so cheap. The staff told them they were not Sinopec but Zhongyuan Petrochemical.

The reporter noticed that the photo posted by the netizen shows “Zhongyuan Petrochemical” in red background with white characters, with the letters “SNOPEC.” It is only one letter different from Sinopec, which also has a red background with white characters, and the English word is missing an “I.” Without a careful look, it’s easy to confuse the two. The reporter privately messaged the netizen for more details but has not received a reply as of press time.

On the afternoon of the 23rd, the reporter contacted staff at the gas station. They said they have been operating this station for over 10 years, always using this name. Authorities have previously inquired about the name, and they have a business license with an approved name. When asked about the original idea for the name, they replied, “That’s none of your business.”

However, a search on Tianyancha shows that this gas station is the Zhongyuan Petrochemical Baichi Gan Gas Station in Luquan District, Shijiazhuang City, formerly known as Luquan Zhongyuan Petrochemical Gas Station.

A staff member from the Luquan District Market Supervision Administration told the reporter that judging solely by the station name is not enough; whether it infringes on trademarks depends on the overall appearance and decoration. They will send someone for an on-site investigation and reply afterward.

The reporter found on the map that there are also some “Zhongyuan Petrochemical” gas stations in Henan, Anhui, Hunan, and other regions.

According to a July 2011 report from Shijiazhuang News Network, enforcement officers from Xinle City’s Administration found that a local gas station used the “Zhongyuan Petrochemical” sign, which was similar to the registered “China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation” (“Sinopec”) logo. After investigation, the station was registered as “Xinle Beifang Gas Station” with the local industrial and commercial authorities. The Xinle City Administration concluded that the station had infringed on the registered trademark rights and ordered the station to cease illegal activities, imposing a fine of 16,000 yuan.

Additionally, a February 2015 report from Red Net stated that the Taoyang Industrial and Commercial Bureau in Hunan Province investigated eight “copycat” gas stations using names like “Zhongyuan Petrochemical” and “Zhongyun Petrochemical.” According to Article 57 of the Trademark Law, using a similar trademark without permission from the registered trademark owner on the same type of goods constitutes an infringement of trademark rights. The local industrial and commercial bureau will take strict action against these infringing stations.

The reporter also noted that previously, the major state-owned enterprises Sinopec, PetroChina, and CNOOC issued announcements warning about counterfeit products (“Li Gui”) and reminded the public to stay vigilant and prevent risks.

Source: Jimu News