On September 18, CNIPA Commissioner Shen Changyu led a delegation to Ganzhou City, Jiangxi Province, and held a panel discussion on trademark and geographical indications. Vice Governor Sun Jusheng of Jiangxi Provincial People’s Government was in attendance.

At the panel discussion, representatives from Jiangxi Province and Ganzhou City introduced their trademark and geographical indications. Shen spoke highly of their work and exchanged ideas with representatives of the government sector, enterprises and industry associations, stating that CNIPA will continue to support IP work in Jiangxi Province and explore effective ways to facilitate innovation-driven development, opening-up and poverty alleviation in the former revolutionary base areas and promote high-quality economic development.

Shen pointed out that since the 18th CPC National Congress, the CPC Central Committee has paid great attention to trademark brand building and geographical indications. In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, in particular, the CPC Central Committee has urged the country to accelerate the establishment of a "dual circulation" development model in which the domestic economic cycle plays a leading role while the international economic cycle remains its extension and supplement, and trademark brand building and geographical indications are of great significance to boosting domestic demand. Focusing on implementing the important instructions of General Secretary Xi Jinping and the decisions and arrangements of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, CNIPA has taken proactive measures to thoroughly launch a trademark brand strategy and projects of exploiting and promoting geographical indications.

Shen stressed that relevant departments should continue to take measures to ensure the sound development of trademark and geographical indications. First of all, there is a need to improve relevant law and regulations, accelerate a new round of revision of the Trademark Law and enforcement regulations and promote special legislation on geographical indications to strengthen relevant IP protection. Second, intensify examination service and comprehensive supervision to continuously improve trademark examination quality and efficiency, further shorten the examination period and make use of big data and other technological means to increase efforts in monitoring and addressing bad faith trademark applications, strengthen protection of well-known trademark brands and promote collaboration of administrative enforcement and justice. Third, promote social participation to enhance legal publicity on trademarks and geographical indications and create a good environment for trademark work and the development of the geographical indication industry. In addition, supervision on trademark agencies should also be strengthened to promote self-regulation and maintain the fundamental purpose of trademark registration.

Sun Jusheng said that Jiangxi Province has made encouraging progress in the building of a characteristic IP-driven province. Various indexes of IP creation across the province are higher than the national average, patent quality has continuously grown, solid progress has been made in trademark brand building and geographical indications, and the leading role businesses play in making innovation has been saliently improved. He hoped that cooperation consultation with CNIPA could be further strengthened to jointly promote the building of Jiangxi Province into a characteristic IP-driven province and promote high-quality economic and social development.

Relevant principals of General Affairs Office, Intellectual Property Utilization Promotion Department and Trademark Office of CNIPA, Intellectual Property Office of Jiangxi Province and Ganzhou City, representatives of enterprises and industry associations attended the panel discussion.(Translated from CNIPA Website Chinese Version)