The Intellectual Property Department (IPD) today (April 26) hosted a reception to celebrate the World Intellectual Property (IP) Day 2024. The Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, and the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Algernon Yau, attended the reception and officiated at the toasting ceremony.
The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) set the theme of this year's World IP Day as "IP and the Sustainable Development Goals: Building our common future with innovation and creativity". At the reception, Mr Chan said that the Government will work with the industry and the community to promote the development of Hong Kong into a regional IP trading centre, so that Hong Kong will maintain its competitive edge in the global market and embrace a more flourishing future.
Mr Chan also elaborated on a number of initiatives pursued by the Government in this regard. They include grooming a talent pool of patent examiners equipped with technological and professional knowledge; planning for regulatory arrangements on local patent agent services; setting up a WIPO Technology and Innovation Support Centre; implementing the "patent box" tax incentive to encourage commercialisation of research and development outcomes, etc.
In his welcoming remarks, the Director of Intellectual Property, Mr David Wong, said that the measures to develop Hong Kong into a regional IP trading centre, as outlined in the Policy Addresses and Budgets of the current-term Government, required the support and co-operation of the IP industries and various stakeholders. The first trade mark was registered in Hong Kong 150 years ago to cater for commercial needs at the time, leading to the beginning of the local IP system. "We have come a long way, and the best is yet to come," he said.
About 150 guests including stakeholders from the legal community and IP-related associations, academics, consulate representatives, government officials and representatives from the public and business sectors attended the reception. Displays at the venue highlighted notable features and achievements in different categories of IP, viz. patents, trade marks, copyright and registered designs.
Celebrated annually on April 26, the World IP Day aims to increase general understanding of IP, pay tributes to inventors and creators, and explore how IP helps shape the world. The IPD promoted the World IP Day and related activities through various channels, including sponsoring the "Licensing Academy", a programme of the Asian Licensing Conference to offer industry players insights into new developments in IP licensing.
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