Companies go global with Hong Kong's helping hand

The Hong Kong Trade Development Council announced that the 2014 Business of IP Asia Forum will be held on Dec 4 and 5.

The announcement was made on May 29, which was the "Hong Kong Day" of the third China (Beijing) International Fair for Trade in Services.

The event included seminars and activities organized by the economic and trade authorities of both Hong Kong and the mainland.

As an internationally recognized hub of service industries, Hong Kong is one of the world's economies that is dominated by the service sector, said Margaret Fong, deputy executive director of HKTDC.

"Hong Kong has professionals, rich experience and global vision in fields such as financing, logistics, accounting, law, design and IP services," she said.

"We understand the demands of the companies on the Chinese mainland in their industrial restructuring, brand building and overseas acquisition activities. So we can make contributions to the national economy by helping them improve global competitiveness."

Potential problems that mainland companies may face once they go global were part of the discussions.

"Last year, we organized an IP forum with the Ministry of Culture to talk about topics related to licensing," said Li Yadong, director of the HKTDC's Beijing office. "This year, we cooperated with the State Council to share our latest information and experiences with mainland companies about how to deal with overseas IP-related disputes and risks."

The seminars were themed "Hong Kong: a premium platform for IP service", which derived from the BIP Asia Forum last year, said Raymond Yip, assistant executive director of HKTDC.

He said that the annual forum aims to promote international IP trade and exchanges between the world's IP professionals. The forum's partners include several leading institutions such as the World Intellectual Property Organization, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, China Technology Exchange and the Asia Licensing Association.

"IP rights owners and users, IP service providers, government officials and representatives from industry associations are welcomed to the forum," he said.

"The BIP Asia Forum has provided a most efficient and effective way to bridge the IP industry and the business world," said Wang Binying, deputy director general of WIPO, at the forum last year.

"With the globalization of production, R&D and trade, IP issues are also becoming globalized," said Kris Srikrishnan, partner in the consultation firm IIPCS LLC. "The forum promotes interaction and collaboration among participants."

At this year's Beijing fair, the Hong Kong pavilion covered an area of more than 300 square meters, which was 8 percent larger than last year. It showcased the city's latest achievements in technical innovation, design and logistics, as well as IP-related services.

There were also more than 20 award-winning works by Hong Kong designers displayed from fields including architecture, fashion and IT.

zhangzhao@chinadaily.com.cn