Statement of Full Support for the HKSAR Government’s First Five-Year Plan and 2026 Policy Address: Deepening Policies Related to the Regional Intellectual Property Trading Centre
The IP Sub-group of the Hong Kong Coalition expresses its high appreciation and full support for the series of policies proposed in the HKSAR Government's First Five-Year Plan and the latest Policy Address to develop Hong Kong into a Regional Intellectual Property Trading Centre. These forward-looking and systematic measures precisely address industry needs and will significantly boost Hong Kong’s competitiveness in IP financing, talent cultivation, and professional services.
The Sub-group particularly welcomes and strongly supports the following key policies:
- Reforming the Patent System and Facilitating Key Domains: Supporting the Government in providing more convenient arrangements for standard patent applications in key technological domains—such as life and health technology, artificial intelligence and data science, advanced manufacturing, and new energy; while exploring reforms to the short-term patent system and optimizing the patent regime to encourage innovation in biotechnology and pharmaceutical R&D.
- Enhancing Autonomous Examination Capability and Team Scale: Commending the Government for setting the target to autonomously conduct substantive examinations on patent applications in major technology areas by 2030, and supporting the expansion of the patent examiner team to reach the scale recognized by the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT), ensuring that scientific research outcomes receive authoritative legal protection.
- Establishing a Regulatory Framework and Standardizing Patent Agency Services: Supporting the implementation of a local registration system for patent agency services, establishing professional status and qualification requirements to promote the standardization and professionalization of patent agency services, and actively cooperating with public consultations and legislative processes.
- Expanding IP Valuation and Financing: Welcoming the successful cases achieved under the IP Financing Sandbox, and supporting the Government in expanding the pilot scheme based on market feedback to unlock new financing channels for enterprises.
- Lowering Transaction Costs and Establishing a Strategic Committee: Supporting the introduction of a bill within this year to grant tax deductions for the purchase of IP rights or rights to use IP; and eagerly anticipating the establishment of the IP Trading Development Strategic Committee to pool cross-sectoral expertise and strengthen top-level design.
- Nurturing Talent and Empowering "Going Global": Welcoming the launch of the Hong Kong IP Academy in the fourth quarter of this year to systematically cultivate talent in IP creation, protection, management, and commercialization; and supporting deeper collaboration with the Mainland to assist Mainland enterprises in leveraging Hong Kong as an IP trading platform to "Go Global."
The IP Sub-group will continue to act as a bridge, fully supporting the Government in implementing various policy measures, and working hand-in-hand with the industry to drive Hong Kong’s development as a leading international Regional Intellectual Property Trading Centre.
[2026-09-16]
