“Independent” Products Assembled in Beijing: the First China International Geographical Indication Exhibition

February 24, 2009

On December 3-5, 2008, the First China International Geographical Indication Exhibition was held in Beijing Exhibition Center and dozens of enterprises participated in the event. Sea products from Zhangzidao of Dalian, potatoes from Dingbian of Shaanxi and Pingyao beef were all exhibited.

With regards to these unfamiliar geographical indication products, Zhang Shibin, the Office Director of the Exhibition said: “Geographical indication products are the competitive products of China, because they are local products with distinguished features.

The exhibitors from all over China almost had a goal: making their products publicized and communicating with the products’ agents from Beijing and other provinces. However, many enterprises still had doubt on the promotion of these geographical indication products. For example, Zhong Xiangyang, the General Secretary of Jiangxi Taihe Black-Boned Chicken Association, showed his dissatisfaction with the Black-Boned Chicken counterfeits. Besides the Geographical Indication protection application, the Taihe Black-Boned Chicken has to carry on authentication system with high cost, that is, each chicken has only one code and the consumers can confirm it by phone.

There are also many problems to in the management and use of the geographical indication. Zhang said, first, the public had no idea about geographical indication products but participated in this exhibition with curiosity; second, the Trademark Office of China and the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine of China conducted dual management on the authentication of geographical indication; third, the geographical indication products were localized, so the local government’s management and the enterprises’ operation were main problems to be solved.