The 2023 Guangdong/Hong Kong Seminar on Intellectual Property (IP) and Development of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) was held today (September 27) in Huizhou, with an audience of about 200 comprising representatives of SMEs and IP practitioners, as well as government officials from Guangdong and Hong Kong.
 
     The seminar, entitled Innovation and Development of Small and Medium Enterprises in the Greater Bay Area: Demand and Supply of Intellectual Property Professional Services, sought to assist Hong Kong SMEs and Mainland enterprises in Guangdong Province to develop effective IP strategies through better use of high-end professional services and enhance their IP protection and management capacity, thereby encouraging enterprises to capitalise on the opportunities offered by the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) development under the National 14th Five-Year Plan to expand their businesses nationwide and worldwide.
 
     Speaking at the opening ceremony of the seminar, the Deputy Director of Intellectual Property, Mr Thomas Tsang, said that this year marks the 20th anniversary of collaboration between Guangdong and Hong Kong on the protection of IP rights. The seminar is a significant milestone of the long, sustained efforts of the IP authorities of the two places in strengthening exchanges and collaboration, establishing a closer partnership and jointly enhancing the level of IP protection and management in the GBA. Mr Tsang also introduced the latest work of the Government in promoting IP trading, including the enhancement of the IP protection regime and the support services provided to SMEs.
 
     At the seminar, speakers made presentations on and discussed various topics including the use of IP in facilitating SMEs' innovation developments, the patent service ecosystem, SMEs' demands for IP, IP services provided by Hong Kong lawyers, and IP strategies for innovative enterprises.
 
     Being a key co-operation item under the framework of the Guangdong/Hong Kong Expert Group on the Protection of Intellectual Property Rights, the seminar was jointly organised by the Intellectual Property Department (IPD), Guangdong Administration for Market Regulation (Guangdong Intellectual Property Administration), the Huizhou Municipal People's Government and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council; undertaken by the Huizhou Administration for Market Regulation (Huizhou Intellectual Property Administration); and co-organised by the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Guangdong of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. The event was also supported by members of the Expert Group and the Federation of Hong Kong Industries.
 
     Since 2004, Guangdong and Hong Kong have co-organised a number of activities to promote the importance of IP protection and exploitation among SMEs.
 
     Details of the seminar are available on the IPD's website (www.ipd.gov.hk).

Ends/Wednesday, September 27, 2023
Issued at HKT 15:00

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