Hong Kong and Philippines sign MOU on co-operation in field of intellectual property (with photos)
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    The Intellectual Property Department (IPD) today (December 8) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) to strengthen co-operation in the field of intellectual property (IP).
    The MOU was signed by the Director of Intellectual Property, Mr David Wong, and the Director General of the IPOPHL, Mr Rowel Barba, on the sidelines of the Business of Intellectual Property Asia (BIP Asia) Forum held in Hong Kong. It aims to establish a framework to facilitate co-operation between Hong Kong and the Philippines in the areas of IP awareness, creation, protection, utilisation, management, trading and commercialisation.
    Under the MOU, Hong Kong and the Philippines will pursue further co-operation in various areas of IP by exchanging information and sharing experience; fostering high-level dialogues on policy developments; strengthening co-operation in IP training; sharing best practices in providing quality and efficient services to stakeholders; and promoting co-operation among the two places and the relevant IP practitioners, industries, institutions and organisations.
    “The National 14th Five-Year Plan supports Hong Kong’s development into a regional IP trading centre. Both Hong Kong and the Philippines recognise the value of IP rights in driving economic growth. The MOU marks an important milestone in the co-operation between the IP offices of the two economies in promoting IP protection and commercialisation in the region. The IPD will continue its engagement with IP offices and authorities outside Hong Kong to tell the good stories of IP in Hong Kong,” Mr Wong said.
    The Consul-General of the Philippines in Hong Kong, Mr Raly Tejada, also attended the signing ceremony today.
    The BIP Asia Forum is an annual IP flagship event in the region organised by the Government and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council. Its 13th edition, held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai on December 7 and 8 under the theme “IP and Innovation: Steering New Economic Growth”, features over 90 renowned speakers. They include senior officials from the China National Intellectual Property Administration, the World Intellectual Property Organization, and IP offices of member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.