INTA Delegation to China Deepens Support for Chinese Brands Going Global

In October, INTA President Elisabeth Stewart Bradley and INTA Chief Policy Officer Heather Steinmeyer led a delegation to China. The visit featured high-level engagements with senior officials and judicial bodies across all levels of government, the launch of a pivotal report series on geographical indications (GIs), and in-depth workshops on trade dress protection and brand resilience with local corporate members and intellectual property (IP) professionals.

The successful launch of the Know Before You Go—Geographical Indications Report Series on October 21 in Beijing was a highlight of the delegation visit. This new Mandarin-language resource provides practical guidance for protecting GIs in five key jurisdictions: the European Union, France, Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom. In her remarks at the launch event, Ms. Bradley emphasized the economic and social value of GIs and affirmed INTA’s dedication to helping Chinese brands protect their unique local characteristics globally, noting that the Report equips Chinese GI brand owners with the knowledge and tools needed to transform their local specialty products into globally recognized assets.

This commitment to practical support was further highlighted by two major workshops. The first in Beijing on trade dress protection, which gathered experts from the judiciary and leading brands, including HUAWEI and XIAOMI, to explore strategies for the Digital Age. This was followed by a workshop in Guangzhou, co-hosted with the Guangdong Trademark Association, which focused on cross-border innovation and brand resilience, offering practical strategies for Chinese enterprises dealing with challenges like trademark squatting in emerging markets and cross-border e-commerce enforcement.

The delegation also included productive meetings with key Chinese government authorities. In the bilateral meeting with the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR), both sides discussed the sustainable destruction of counterfeit goods and the joint fight against online counterfeiting, where SAMR plays a crucial role in supervising e-commerce platforms. The delegation also met with the General Administration of Customs to discuss the transshipment of counterfeit goods through free trade zones and how artificial intelligence (AI) is being employed in daily inspection and seizure practices.

The Association also took the opportunity to forge connections with the new leadership of the Supreme People’s Procuratorate, including Deputy Director General Liu Taizong, and welcomed more fruitful collaboration on criminal IP enforcement in the future. The delegation extended an invitation to all these government authorities to attend the China Enforcement Workshop at the upcoming 2026 Annual Meeting in London, England.

A dialogue with the Guangdong High People’s Court, the Guangzhou Intellectual Property Court, and the Guangzhou Internet Court centered around the legal implications of data training and the copyrightability of AI-generated content (AIGC), as well as critical issues related to punitive damages. Ms. Bradley acknowledged the proactive steps taken by China’s judiciary in fostering cost-effective, high-quality, and consistent judicial decisions.

This successful delegation reaffirmed the Association’s steadfast commitment to supporting Chinese brands in their global expansion and to advocating for a robust IP ecosystem in China. By providing vital resources and facilitating strategic dialogue across government, judiciary, and industry, INTA is shaping a collaborative future for IP-driven innovation, benefiting members, brand owners, and consumers both in China and around the world.

INTA’s China Representative Office, based in Beijing, represents the Association’s members in China. Working in collaboration with staff at INTA’s headquarters in New York City, the China Representative Office leads the Association’s policy, membership, marketing, and communications initiatives in this jurisdiction. To learn more about INTA’s activities in China, please contact INTA Chief Representative for China Monica Su, and follow us on WeChat.

INTA’s China Representative Office, based in Beijing, represents the Association’s members in China. Working in collaboration with staff at INTA’s headquarters in New York City, the China Representative Office leads the Association’s policy, membership, marketing, and communications initiatives in this jurisdiction. To learn more about INTA’s activities in China, please contact INTA Chief Representative for China Monica Su, and follow us on WeChat.

Although every effort has been made to verify the accuracy of this article, readers are urged to check independently on matters of specific concern or interest.

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