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An intellectual property (IP) seminar targeting Hong Kong-based small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and Mainland enterprises east of Guangdong Province was held in Shantou today (March 27).
The "2008 Guangdong/Hong Kong Seminar on Intellectual Property and the Development of Small and Medium Enterprises (Shantou)" was organised by the Intellectual Property Department of the HKSAR Government, in collaboration with the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, the Guangdong Provincial Intellectual Property Office and the Municipal Government of Shantou City. It was co-organised and supported by the Intellectual Property Office of Shantou, the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Guangdong, and the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (Shantou Sub-Council).
Director of Intellectual Property Mr Stephen Selby said the seminar served as a platform for over 350 SMEs and government officials of Guangdong and Hong Kong to keep abreast of the latest developments in intellectual property in the region. It strengthened their awareness of intellectual property rights protection and sharpened their competitive edge.
"The seminar in Shantou is intended to show SMEs in the region how intellectual property can be used as a tool for wealth creation. It is also to showcase how the Hong Kong intellectual property professional services can help promote the development of enterprises, and exchange views on how enterprises can protect their intellectual property in Hong Kong and the Mainland under their separate IP laws and regulations," Mr Selby said.
Shantou, a port city, was not only the logistics hub for east Guangdong, south Jiangxi and southwest Fujian, Mr Selby said, but it was also one of the five Special Economic Zones on the Mainland. Its favourable conditions had made vibrant growth in the economy possible.
"Shantou has been a distribution centre for import and export commodities for more than 100 years. Its favourable geographical location along with its dense population contribute to its healthy economic development," Mr Selby said.
"By strengthening the concepts of protection and application of intellectual property, such as registration of intellectual property in both places and using brand names for product promotion, Shantou SMEs can effectively build up their corporate image and substantially increase their competitiveness and create more business opportunities."
Since 2004, Guangdong and Hong Kong have been working together organising seminars to promote intellectual property protection among SMEs. Similar seminars have been held successfully in cities like Dongguan, Shaoguan, Shunde, Huizhou, Jiangmen, Zhanjiang and Zhuhai.
For details of the seminar in Shantou, please visit the IPD website at www.ipd.gov.hk.
Ends/Thursday, March 27, 2008
Issued at HKT 10:15
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