Minle County in Gansu Province is advancing the construction of an intellectual property powerhouse by balancing regulation enforcement with service provision. Through systematic building, precise supervision, diversified services, and digital empowerment, the county has developed a distinctive path for strengthening IP at the county level. Its key initiatives are highlighted in four main areas.
Establishing a Coordinated Protection System to Strengthen the Institutional Foundation
Minle County has continuously refined its IP policies and mechanisms, introducing normative documents such as the Implementation Plan for Minle County's Trademark and Brand Development Strategy and the Minle County Intellectual Property Powerhouse Construction Outline (2021-2035). A joint meeting system for IP protection work has been established, linking multiple departments including market regulation, public security, judicial bodies, and agriculture, fostering cross-sector regulatory synergy. Additionally, leveraging trademark and brand guidance stations, a "one-stop" public service platform has been built, and an IP dispute people's mediation committee has been jointly established. This ensures seamless integration of judicial, administrative, and people's mediation, eliminating the "last mile" of IP services.
Focusing on Key Areas of Regulation to Enhance Enforcement and Protection Quality
Minle County has clamped down on IP violations in areas of public concern, such as food and drugs, seed industries, and geographical indication products. In a special campaign conducted in 2026, five cases involving the sale of goods infringing on registered trademarks were investigated and resolved, effectively deterring illegal activities. A "dual random, one public" inspection was carried out on trademark agencies, providing business guidance to one agency that had not yet started trademark operations, thereby regulating industry development from the source.
Strengthening Supervision of Geographical Indications to Build Regional Characteristic Brands
Minle County has made geographical indications a key tool for promoting industrial specialization and standardization, comprehensively establishing the brand image of Minle Purple Garlic. By building a regulatory system based on local standards, conducting origin traceability investigations, and strictly supervising the application, use, and daily oversight of special marks, the county has achieved notable results. As of now, 12 enterprises have obtained the right to use the geographical indication special mark for Minle Purple Garlic. One enterprise using the mark improperly was ordered to make corrections. Concurrently, in conjunction with the e-commerce rural project, the county has cultivated the Lemin Premium Products county-level regional public brand, guided enterprises to apply for agricultural product trademarks, and comprehensively enhanced the added value and market competitiveness of local agricultural specialties.
Innovating Publicity and Digital Empowerment to Unlock IP Value
In terms of publicity and services, Minle County has created the Tuesday IP Live online brand, hosting over 150 sessions, and conducted multi-channel outreach in enterprises, schools, and communities. On the digital empowerment front, in response to the trends in artificial intelligence and the digital economy, the county invited technical teams to conduct AI training sessions, exploring an AI+Supervision smart enforcement model. Furthermore, by deepening the integration of technology and finance, the county has built a bridge for bank-enterprise cooperation, facilitating an intellectual property pledge financing of 38.74 million yuan for Huarui Agricultural Co., Ltd. The county's total cumulative IP pledge financing has reached 127.74 million yuan, effectively alleviating capital pressure on small and medium-sized enterprises.
Through these measures, Minle County's level of IP creation and protection has significantly improved. Currently, the county holds 117 valid invention patents, with 6.24 patents per 10,000 people. It has 37 high-value invention patents, with 1.97 per 10,000 people, and 1,518 valid registered trademarks. The county has successfully cultivated multiple national and provincial-level IP advantage demonstration enterprises, injecting strong momentum into high-quality economic development at the county level.