China has recently issued a major plan on geographical indications (GIs) for the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025), highlighting six indicators for GI protection and application, according to the country's top intellectual property regulator.

The plan is a blueprint with detailed targets and measures for the country to enhance its GI protection for the upcoming years, said the National Intellectual Property Administration (NIPA).

The key indicators for the 2021-2025 period will have been reached when the number of recognized GIs and the annual direct output value maintain steady and reasonable growth, and when the number of market entities using geographical indications hit over 18,000, according to the plan.

Other indicators will have been reached when a batch of national, local and collective standards in the field of GIs are formulated and revised, and when 100 national demonstration areas for the protection of GIs products are established. Also, more Chinese GIs will be protected overseas.

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.

The plan also outlines three development targets for the upcoming years to consolidate the foundation of GI protection, highlight the benefits of GI application and further expand the scale of GI mutual recognition and protection.

To meet the targets, the plan proposed 19 major tasks in five aspects such as GIs protection and management, the construction of GI brands, GI characteristic industries and international cooperation.

The agreement between China and the European Union (EU) on the protection of GIs, which formally entered into force on March 1 last year, is bringing new opportunities for both sides to improve the level and quality of trade while boosting confidence in each other's markets, with 244 China-EU GIs being mutually recognized and protected. 

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