Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu (right) meets Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organization Daren Tang (left) on Dec 7, 2023. (PHOTO / HKSAR GOVERNMENT)

HONG KONG - Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu met Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Daren Tang in Thursday, hailing WIPO for playing a crucial role in promoting and facilitating global IP development.

Lee welcomed the visit by Tang and the high-level delegation from the WIPO to Hong Kong to attend the Business of Intellectual Property Asia Forum on Dec 7 and 8, according to a Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government statement.

Lee said that under the "one country, two systems" framework, Hong Kong thrives as an international hub for trade and finance, and is the only common law jurisdiction within the country

Lee said the National 14th Five-Year Plan supports Hong Kong’s development into a regional intellectual property (IP) trading center.

He said that under the "one country, two systems" framework, Hong Kong thrives as an international hub for trade and finance, and is the only common law jurisdiction within the country. 

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As announced in the Chief Executive's 2023 Policy Address, the HKSAR government will leverage the institutional advantages of Hong Kong's legal and IP protection systems, and carry out a number of new measures including enhancing the IP legal regime, implementing the "patent box" tax incentive, planning for regulatory arrangements on patent agent services, and boosting the trading of local original works, with a view to strengthening Hong Kong's status as a regional IP trading center.

Lee added that the HKSAR government will continue to maintain close communication with the WIPO and explore more co-operation to promote IP development.

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Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development Algernon Yau Ying-wah and Director of Intellectual Property David Wong also attended the meeting.