Shen noted that the China-EU agreement on geographical indications (GIs) is now in effect, allowing for mutual recognition and protection of listed products. He also shared that China has formally joined the Hague Agreement on the international registration of industrial designs.
CNIPA Deputy Commissioner Hu Wenhui emphasized that domestic and foreign enterprises are treated equally under China’s IP protection framework. In the first half of the year, foreign entities filed 94,000 trademark applications in China, reflecting a 7.4% annual increase, with notable growth from Germany, Italy, and the United States exceeding 20%.
He added that CNIPA received 74 GI protection applications for products from France’s Burgundy region in the same period, indicating continued international engagement.
Hu highlighted improvements in the quality and efficiency of patent and trademark processing. So far, China has set up 128 national IP protection and rapid-response centers, serving more than 8,000 foreign-funded and joint venture firms with the same level of services and incentives as local companies.
In addition to supporting foreign enterprises, Hu said the CNIPA is strengthening IP protections for Chinese companies operating overseas by enhancing foreign-related IP regulations and developing early-warning and risk response systems.
By the end of 2024, CNIPA had delivered 2,393 guidance services and 6,885 advisory consultations to domestic firms, helping reduce their legal costs by 1.32 billion yuan (about $184.7 million) and recover economic losses totaling 38.04 billion yuan.
