From Jinyang in Sichuan Province came the tongue-tingling green Sichuan peppercorns, from Shizhu in Chongqing Municipality, the blazing red chilies, from the Xilin Gol Grasslands in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, the famed Ujumchin lamb, from Lipu in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, taro rich with earthy sweetness... At the booth of restaurant chain Banu Hotpot, renowned for its signature beef tripe, one side was alive with this colorful array of Chinese ingredients; the other, bubbling hotpots, where diners gathered around a simmering pot of broth or soup at the table and cooked their food to their liking, pulling in curious tasters from around the globe.

The booth made its debut at the inaugural Global Geographical Indication Products Expo. Opening in Beijing on September 19 under the theme Driving High-Quality Consumption, the event was a landmark moment for geographical indications (GIs) on the global stage.

At Banu's booth, 20 hotpot ingredients were displayed, with every single one bearing a recognized GI. In simple terms, a GI is a label that ties a product to its place of origin, where unique natural conditions, traditions or craftsmanship give it qualities that cannot be replicated elsewhere.

This year's trade show brought together GI products from nearly 30 countries and regions, with more than 1,000 items on display. Chinese specialties such as Beijing's Niulanshan liquor and Zhejiang Province's Jinhua ham stood alongside European classics like Romanian Sibiu sheep's cheese, Czech Budweiser beer and Spanish Estepa olive oil.

GIs, as a key form of intellectual property, serve not only as vessels of local history and culture but also as powerful engines driving economic growth. According to the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA), China has thus far recognized more than 4,000 GI products and approved the use of GI labels for more than 46,000 businesses. These products generate an annual output value exceeding 960 billion yuan ($135 billion).

During the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25) period, China has made major strides in protecting GIs, turning many once-humble "local specialties" into "golden brands" that drive income and prosperity, CNIPA Deputy Commissioner Hu Wenhui said at a press conference in July.

From label to livelihood

"Through GIs, consumers are able to recognize and trust the origin of a product," Zhao Xinli, Dean of the School of Advertising at the Communication University of China, told Beijing Review. "This gives local specialty products a certified guarantee of quality and reduces consumer uncertainty at the point of purchase. That is the core value of GIs."

Beyond building trust, GIs also help enhance brand value, he said. Products bearing GI certification enjoy higher market premiums—not only from consumers, but also across the entire supply chain, from buyers to distributors.

GIs also serve as catalysts for both cultural continuity and industrial growth, he added. Take Tieguanyin tea from Anxi, Fujian Province, for instance. GI certification has helped preserve and promote traditional Chinese tea culture while simultaneously boosting local sales and exports.

Benefiting from GI protection, entire local industries have expanded, helping residents increase their income and achieve the broader goal of rural revitalization, Zhao said. China's rural revitalization, a strategy introduced at the 19th Communist Party of China National Congress in 2017, promotes the economic prosperity and overall development of rural areas. It builds on the success of the nationwide poverty alleviation campaign that had eradicated absolute poverty as of late 2020.

Another example is that of the Jiangjin Sichuan peppercorns in Chongqing Municipality. The product was granted GI status in 2005.

To strengthen the brand, Jiangjin District in Chongqing hosts fairs themed around this spice, built an export demonstration base and established China's largest Sichuan peppercorn industrial park. It has published peppercorn-themed books, launched a full-course "peppercorn banquet," and cultivated a distinct cultural identity around the crop. The region has also developed a comprehensive processing and production system, set up a big data cloud platform and built a regulatory framework and e-commerce platforms to support the Sichuan peppercorn industry.

This combination has yielded strong economic and social returns while expanding Jiangjin's presence in global markets. Today, Jiangjin supplies more than 90 percent of China's market for fresh peppercorns. It also hosts the nation's largest peppercorn trading center, with exports reaching the United States, Japan, the Republic of Korea and other markets. Jiangjin peppercorns have been included in the second batch of protected products under the China-EU Agreement on GIs.

The peppercorn industry now employs 620,000 people—over 80 percent of the district's rural population. More than 10,000 households earn upwards of 100,000 yuan ($14,000) annually from Sichuan peppercorn cultivation alone.

A new language

The expo coincided with the 50th anniversary of China-EU diplomatic relations and the fourth anniversary of the China-EU Agreement on GIs. Participants from both China and the EU engaged in lively discussions on the economic value, cultural importance and global pathways of collaboration around GIs at the opening ceremony.

GIs are "a new language of mutual understanding," carrying with them a promise of authenticity, a guarantee of quality and a vessel of cultural heritage, former Montenegrin Prime Minister Dritan Abazović said. GI cooperation, he said, can build stronger bridges between Chinese and international markets.

Fang Aiqing, President of the China International Investment Promotion Council, said the success of the expo will help countries learn from one another's GI products, encourage collaborative growth of the global GI industry and advance the liberalization and facilitation of trade. In his words, the expo can expand both the share and influence of GI products in international markets.

Speaking on behalf of the guest country of honor was Violeta Mușat, Secretary of State within the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Romania. She spoke at the Romanian Pavilion, where agricultural products were showcased under European and national quality schemes—each backed by official quality seals. She said these designations safeguard traditional regions, promote specialized knowhow and, at the same time, support rural development while giving consumers trusted and high-quality choices.

Pan Feng, Vice President of the China-Europe Association for Technical and Economic Cooperation, stressed that GIs can create platforms for global exchange, drive shared industrial growth and help address international concerns about product quality, fair pricing and competitiveness in the agricultural and food industries.

Strengthening connectivity across sectors and regions through such initiatives, he concluded, will generate lasting economic benefits.

In a village in the southwestern Chinese city of Baoshan, Yunnan Province, coffee has become more than just a crop. Murals of coffee beans brighten the village walls, while more than 900 hectares of farmland is shifting toward precision cultivation.

In 2011, Baoshan Small-Bean Coffee was granted its GI certification. By 2024, it had been exported to more than 10 countries and regions, with shipments exceeding 2,400 tons and revenues reaching 57.44 million yuan ($8 million). Step by step, Baoshan's beans have carved out a reputation as "China's specialty coffee" on the international stage.

Hu said China has deepened international GI cooperation in recent years, including mutual recognition with the EU and Thailand. To date, 110 Chinese GI products have gained protection abroad. This has paved the way for products like Baoshan Small-Bean Coffee and Helan Mountains East Foothill Wine from Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region in northwest China to join global supply chains, bringing a distinctive taste of China to consumers worldwide.

A global platform

At the booth of Niulanshan, more than 10 liquor varieties were on display. To add a creative twist, bartenders mixed cocktails using baijiu ("clear liquor") as the base spirit, blending Chinese tradition with Western flair.

"Through the platform of the GI expo, we aim not only to showcase our distinctive products and craftsmanship, but also to deepen cooperation with European countries such as Romania in GI protection, industrial partnerships and cultural exchange, helping Beijing brands step confidently onto the world stage," a representative from agricultural company Beijing Shunxin Holdings Group Co. Ltd. said.

Visitors at Banu's booth weren't just there to sample hotpot. Representatives from the Romanian Ministry of Agriculture engaged in detailed discussions with Banu staff on topics ranging from the standardization of Chinese agricultural products to the country's cold-chain logistics system.

"For Banu, taking part in this international expo is an opportunity to present the quality of our ingredients to the world," a company representative told Beijing Review. "It is also a valuable platform to connect with global counterparts and advance high-quality development in the food service industry. By making our ingredients fully transparent, we hope to build deeper trust with consumers. The expo takes this model to the next level, allowing us to demonstrate, amid waves of consumption upgrading and industrial transformation, the value of Chinese cuisine to the world." BR

(Print Edition: Cuisine Coordinates)

Copyedited by Elsbeth van Paridon

Comments to zhangshsh@cicgamericas.com