From December 15 to 18, CNIPA organized 10 news outlets, including People's Daily, Xinhua News Agency, CRI, CGTN, China Daily, Global Times, China Intellectual Property News, Hong Kong Economic Herald, Wen Wei Po and Ta Kung Pao, to Hunan to witness how Sangzhi uses IP to build a poverty eradication sample for the world and learn more about the "Changsha Model for whole-chain IP protection". In this midwinter, the vitality and power of IP is seen everywhere both deep in the mountains and in modern metropolises.

Sangzhi: a poverty eradication sample for the world

In recent years, Sangzhi County has built a poverty eradication sample for the world through IP under the assistance of CNIPA by developing geographic indication (GI) products.

"Two leaves prosper a county." Zhao Yunhai, head of Sangzhi County, told reporters that CNIPA has been assisting Sangzhi County to escape from poverty for 26 years since 1994. While promoting high-quality overall development, CNIPA and Sangzhi County give full play to IP to develop industries and foster GI products. With the purpose of 'Build a brand, grow a powerful industry, benefit the locals', CNIPA and Sangzhi focused on poverty eradication through the use of IP, and created a poverty eradication sample for the world boasting quality, speed and a workable model. For example, Xiangfeng Company has provided jobs for 35,000 people from 12,000 families and registered the "Sangzhi White Tea" geographical indication. Another company Kanghua has employed 534 local farmers, including 68 with disabilities, helping 60,000 people in Hunan and Hubei out of poverty, and its trademark "Kanghua" has been recognized a China Famous Trademark.

Zhao Yunhai, head of Sangzhi County, shared successful experience of “two leaves”

"The 'example of Sangzhi' demonstrates a new path to fortune explored by CNIPA and Sangzhi County by giving full play to IPRs, which have proved their long-term effectiveness and sustainability," recognized by Liu Hua, director of the World Intellectual Property Organization Office in China during her visit in Sangzhi.

Liu Hua, director of the World Intellectual Property Organization Office in China, was being interviewed in the village

"Many people think IP as something highbrow that is useful only in developed areas. In fact, it can be generated and play a role either in workshops or in the fields."  Zhu Xingguo, Director of the Poverty Alleviation Office of CNIPA, told reporters Sangzhi County has a weak industrial base but a wide range of distinctive agricultural products. In recent years, CNIPA has explored a new approach to fortune for impoverished areas through the use of IP and developing GIs, and Sangzhi is among them.

In workshops

In the fields

Changsha: explore a "Changsha Model" of whole-chain IP protection

In recent years, Changsha in Hunan Province has made active efforts in building a working mode of comprehensive protection covering the whole IP chain. It is the only provincial capital city nationwide that has set up professional agencies for IP protection in an all-round way.

IP protection

"Changsha Intellectual Property Court has tried more than 19,000 civil cases over the past three years after establishment, strengthened the protection of technological achievements in core technologies and frontier fields and innovated the operation mechanism for IP-related case trials," said Fan Dengfeng, Vice President of Changsha Intermediate People's Court.

Robot in the court

"The Intellectual Property Criminal Investigation Division under Changsha Public Security Bureau is in charge of leading, coordinating and guiding the investigation, prevention and control work of city-wide IP-related criminal cases and carrying out study and analysis on city-wide IP-related crimes. We have detected a number of influential IP-related criminal cases and protected the legitimate interests of more than 80 enterprises," said Li Chao, the political commissar of the Intellectual Property Criminal Investigation Division.

Voice of IP

"Changsha has made continuous efforts to strengthen administrative protection in key fields, managed the administrative law enforcement of trademarks, patents and geographical indications in a centralized manner, and carried out special actions like "Escort" and "Iron Fist", which effectively curbed violations of IPRs," said Sun Jin, Director of Changsha Intellectual Property Office.