Shandong Province and Bretagne Region of France recently celebrated their friendship and held a forum on protection of geographical indications (GI)in Jining, Shandong. Shandong Party Secretary Li Ganjie and Bretagne Regional Council President Loïg Chesnais Girard spoke at the opening ceremony. Hu Wenhui, Deputy Commissioner of the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) also delivered a speech via video.

Hu noted China and France have been working closely, profoundly and practically in patent, trademark, geographical indication and other IP matters for a long time, yielding positive and abundant results. Witnessed by the state leaders of the two countries, two GI cooperation agreements – one between China and France, the other between China and Europe – were signed, demonstrating the heed on IP given by the signees as well Chinese government's unwavering determination in IP protection. In recent years, the CNIPA has been strengthening protection over GIs comprehensively, weaving a tight IP protection network, furthering the government's reform in easing control over certain matters, administering tightly over certain matters and providing quality services, and making more friends in international IP community. The successful organization of this forum will bring more 'Chinese taste' and 'French taste' to each other's households, assisting IP cooperation between China and France, setting an example for GI protection in the world and injecting vigor into the economic development in China and Europe.

A principal of CNIPA's IP Protection Department attended the forum.(Translated from CNIPA Website Chinese Version)