China is putting relentless efforts to build brand identities for the constellation of specialty products of Chinese origin, targeting consumers at home and abroad. 

The China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) has recently revealed that as of the end of March 2021, 2,473 geographical indication products have been approved, and 6,209 geographical indications have been registered as collective or certification marks. 

In the first quarter of 2021, the CNIPA newly approved 99 geographical indication products (including 96 mutual recognition and guarantee geographical indication products) and 124 geographical indications registered as collective trademarks and certification marks. The CNIPA also approved the applications of geographical indications of 1,461 enterprises, seeing a year-on-year growth rate of 669%. For example, the geographical indication of Maotai was approved for the baijiu produced in the town of Maotai in China's Guizhou province. 

In 2020, the CNIPA issued the "Measures for the Administration of the Use of Special Marks for Geographical Indications (for Trial Implementation)". The act aimed at facilitating the protection of geographical indications. In 2020, the revenue of the enterprises generated by using geographical indications on their products reached about 10 billion USD.

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