To promote comprehensive collaboration on Intellectual Property (IP) protection, and enhance the overall strength and competitiveness in the Pan-Pearl River Delta (Pan-PRD) region, the Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative Regions (SARs) have joined the IP cooperation agreement concluded between the nine Pan-PRD provinces of Fujian, Jiangxi, Hunan, Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan, Sichuan, Guizhou and Yunnan.

The "Pan-PRD Intellectual Property Cooperation Agreement" was signed by the two SARs and the Sichuan Intellectual Property Office (representing the nine Pan-PRD provinces/region) at the second "Pan-PRD Intellectual Property Cooperation Joint Conference" held in Chengdu today (July 26).

 Mr Stephen Selby, Director of Intellectual Property, who represented the Hong Kong SAR Government at the signing ceremony, said, "the provinces/regions in the Pan-PRD region are well experienced in IPR protection, while Hong Kong SAR has extensive experience in the English Common Law system and foreign IPR protection systems. Thus our IP professionals can act as a bridge between enterprises within and outside the Mainland.

"Trade and investment between the Mainland and Hong Kong have been greatly enhanced as a result of the implementation of the Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA). The establishment of a mechanism for Pan-PRD regional IP cooperation is expected to facilitate further economic cooperation between the Mainland and Hong Kong."

Director General of Sichuan Intellectual Property Office, Huang Feng, said at the conference, "the objective of the Agreement is to capitalise on the comparative advantages and unique strength of '9+2' provinces/regions, enhance exchange and cooperation in the area of IPR within the Pan-PRD region, so as to promote creation, protection, administration and application of IPR. The Agreement also strengthens the order of market economy, speeds up business and technology transfer, fosters growth of inter-regional investment and boosts the joint economic development of the Pan-PRD region."

Details of the Agreement (Chinese version only) are posted on the website of Intellectual Property Department at www.ipd.gov.hk.

(Source: Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government)

Editor: Catherine