The China National Intellectual Property Administration recently announced that four companies from the Qingdao Area of the China (Shandong) Pilot Free Trade Zone (Qingdao FTZ) have been recognized as National Intellectual Property Demonstration Enterprises and Advantageous Enterprises for 2023.

CP Pharmaceutical Qingdao and Qingdao Blackcat were named National Intellectual Property Demonstration Enterprises, while Qingdao Lefast Intelligent Equipment Technology Co. and Qingdao Haier Washing Appliances Co Ltd were listed as National Intellectual Property Advantageous Enterprises. This means that there are now three Demonstration Enterprises and three Advantageous Enterprises in the zone.

The zone has in recent years implemented innovative measures to foster intellectual property development. For example, it has established a specialized window for intellectual property services and introduced the "Intellectual Property Protection Guideline Service Menu" which covers 15 key service themes such as patent strategies, technology commercialization, and intellectual property management. The zone has also rolled out projects for trade secret protection and issued standards for enterprise trade secret protection.