China focuses on geographical indication protection

As a significant part of intellectual property, geographical indications (GIs) have drawn more attention from the Chinese government and enterprises.

China approved 2,391 GI products by the end of 2020, and granted more than 9,400 enterprises permission to use the protected products of the national geographical trademark, said Zhang Zhicheng, head of the protection department of the National Intellectual Property Administration at a press conference on Jan 22.

A GI is a sign to show a product has a specific geographical origin and possesses qualities or a reputation due to that origin. It is a quality guarantee, which distinguishes it from its competitors.

Benefits of GIs include standardized processes, increased production, and more employment for locals.

More than 1,000 new Chinese enterprises got approval to use GI products last year alone, a 195 percent increase over the same period of the previous year. The output value of enterprises using GIs totaled 639.8 billion yuan in 2020, Zhang noted.

Apart from enterprises, Chinese farmers also harvest benefits of GI products. Since last year, the administration has invested more than 10 million yuan in 43 poverty-stricken counties in 17 provinces in the nation's central and western regions to cultivate 21 GI project developments.

One example is Sangzhi White Tea, which was listed as a GI product in 2019. Since 1994, the administration has dispatched a group of officials to Sangzhi county, Central China's Hunan province, to assist local poverty alleviation efforts.

The white tea industry in the county has developed quickly since it acquired the GI label. More factories and farmers are now involved in tea production and marketing. About 35,000 people working in the county's tea industry shook off poverty, local officials said.

GIs have become one of the focuses of cooperation in international intellectual property. A China-European Union bilateral agreement on GIs came into force on Jan 1, which protects 100 European GIs in China and 100 Chinese GIs in the EU. Consumers of both markets will likely discover genuine Chinese and EU specialties.