WIPO China: Empowering County Economy through IP

On February 13, 2025, Ms. Liu Hua, Director of WIPO Office in China (WOC), visited Gaoyang County, Hebei Province, to explore local achievements in IP protection, technological innovation, and industrial upgrading. She was accompanied by Ms. Jiang Dongfang, Secretary of the Gaoyang County Party Committee, Mr. Qi Zhiguo, County Mayor, Mr. Liang Heng, Deputy County Mayor, and Mr. Sun Haijian, Deputy County Mayor.

Jiang Dongfang, detailed the county's initiatives in enhancing industrial brand building, strengthening IP protection, and promoting technological innovation. Gaoyang County boasts 14,919 valid trademarks, including 5 Well-known Trademarks, and 88 invention patents. The textile industry, with over 4,200 enterprises and a 40% national market share in towels and blankets, is a standout, supported by a robust R&D and innovation framework. Gaoyang is also upgrading its automotive and agricultural machinery parts industry. Jiang expressed the willingness to deepen cooperation with the WIPO Office in China to leverage IP strategies, optimize the business environment, and support enterprises in "going global," thereby providing strong support for the high-quality development of the county's economy and enhancing global competitiveness.

Liu Hua visited the Jinjinledao Industrial Development Center, the Cotton Painting Album Textile Museum, as well as enterprises such as Balix Home Textiles and Jinao Seiki Manufacture. She acknowledged Gaoyang County's progress in IP work, especially the development of key industries such as textiles, automotive and agricultural machinery parts, and electrical equipment, where solid progress had already been made.

Liu Hua said that Gaoyang County could build on its strengths in these industries, drive industrial upgrading through technological innovation, deepen international cooperation and capacity building, and use IP to support the international development of enterprises, thereby enhancing global brand competitiveness and better safeguarding enterprises as they expand into overseas markets.

Liu Hua expressed that WOC will deepen cooperation with Gaoyang County and jointly explore the "IP path" for the transformation and upgrading of the county's economy. She proposed that WOC would assist Gaoyang County in connecting with WIPO innovation resources, such as helping Gaoyang enterprises to participate in WIPO's Global Awards and the World IP Day Video Competition, thereby enhancing the international influence. The WIPO GREEN platform can provide Gaoyang County with services for disseminating green technology information and facilitating supply-demand connections. It can assist Gaoyang County in developing high-value patents in areas such as smart manufacturing and circular economy (e.g., wastewater treatment, recycled fibers), and help these technologies to be included in the WIPO GREEN database. WOC will provide trainings on WIPO's PCT and Madrid Systems as well as the arbitration and mediation service to help Gaoyang enterprises with their overseas IP protection. WOC supports Gaoyang County enterprises in utilizing the WIPO Technology and Innovation Support Center (TISC) network to access global patent database and analytical tools free of charge.

Both sides agreed to strengthen collaboration, jointly promoting innovative development in the field of IP in Gaoyang County and supporting the high-quality transformation and upgrading of the county's economy.