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The "2016 Guangdong/Hong Kong Seminar on Intellectual Property (IP) and the Development of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) (Shenzhen)" was held in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, today (June 17).
The seminar, entitled "Intellectual Property Promoting Development of Innovation of Shenzhen & Hong Kong Enterprises", targeted Hong Kong SMEs and Mainland enterprises in Guangdong Province. It aimed to assist enterprises to make use of IP to enhance their innovation capabilities as well as develop overseas markets.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the seminar, the Director of Intellectual Property, Ms Ada Leung, said the seminar is an annual major event under the framework of the Guangdong/Hong Kong Expert Group on the Protection of Intellectual Property Rights.
Ms Leung said, "In addition to consolidating the existing business advantages, enterprises of the Mainland and Hong Kong should actively develop effective IP management and commercialisation strategies and make best use of IP-related professional services of the two places to drive the development of innovation and embrace new opportunities of 'going global', so as to further expand their businesses."
The seminar, which brought together more than 200 SMEs' representatives and government officials from Guangdong and Hong Kong, was one of the key programmes of Guangdong/Hong Kong IP co-operation this year. The seminar was jointly organised by the Intellectual Property Department of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, the Guangdong Intellectual Property Office and the People's Government of Shenzhen Municipality; undertaken by the Intellectual Property Office of Shenzhen Municipality; and co-organised by the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Guangdong of the HKSAR Government. The event was also supported by other members of the Guangdong/Hong Kong Expert Group on the Protection of Intellectual Property Rights and the Federation of Hong Kong Industries.
Since 2004, Guangdong and Hong Kong have been working together to organise seminars to promote the importance of IP protection among SMEs. Similar seminars have been held in cities including Dongguan, Shaoguan, Shunde, Huizhou, Jiangmen, Zhanjiang, Zhuhai, Shantou, Zhongshan, Guangzhou, Zhaoqing, Foshan, Qingyuan and Shanwei.
Details of the seminar in Shenzhen are available on the Intellectual Property Department's website www.ipd.gov.hk.
Ends/Friday, June 17, 2016
Issued at HKT 15:04
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