It’s definitely not a type of cheese. You only think that because you have seen so many imitations. The type is a hard crystalline structured cheese made in a wheel. Many have this profile, but when that’s made from the region with the methods perfected by the history of makers in that region with specific ingredients from that region (lots of history to get to the point where are now), then it’s known as Parmesan. Anyone else that eats a cheese similar to that specific cheese made elsewhere has had a copy, which while being similar, is not from that region and not Parmesan cheese. Globalisation doesn’t change a villages history or countries culture of identifying produce, and yes, that’s something worth protecting for them.

It’s like calling a Lepatata from Botswana a Dodgeridoo because they are both wind instruments. It’s their type of horn, like a Didgeridoo and you might call it a Didgeridoo, but it’s not. Most people would get what you mean but to the people that it matters to, you would be wrong.

In geopolitics and when it comes to free trade, respecting the history and origin of a product is diplomatic and the right thing to do, especially since the point of the trade deal is to exchange these goods. Once actual Parmesan hits shelves more freely, it shouldn’t have to be labelled as “real” Parmesan, or vice versa with the local produce because it just doesn’t make sense in the context of the thing you are talking about.