Hong Kong Signs MOU with WIPO to Enhance Global Intellectual Property Collaboration

Speech by FS at Signing Ceremony of Memorandum of Understanding between WIPO and HKSAR Government Concerning WIPO Lex-Judgments (with photos/video)

Following is the speech by the Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, at the Signing Ceremony of Memorandum of Understanding between the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Concerning WIPO Lex-Judgments today (September 1):

Deputy Director-General Wang (Deputy Director General of WIPO, Ms Wang Binying), Justice Poon (Chief Judge of the High Court, Mr Justice Jeremy Poon), Director-General Zhou (Director-General of the Department of Treaty and Law, Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the HKSAR, Ms Zhou Qian), distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,

Good morning. It is my great pleasure to welcome you all to this event, especially the distinguished delegation from the World Intellectual Property Organization led by Deputy Director General Wang.

Signing of MOU with WIPO

This morning, we gather to witness the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding that marks the Hong Kong SAR's participation in the WIPO Lex-Judgments database. It is another milestone in our engagement with the global IP (intellectual property) community.

Since its launch in 2020, the WIPO Lex-Judgments database has provided free and open access to leading judicial decisions on IP from around the world. It now features more than 2,200 decisions from over 40 jurisdictions, and continues to grow in both scope and influence.

Access to important and precedent-setting cases is a valuable resource for judges, IP practitioners, policymakers and users across the IP ecosystem. It enables better understanding of complex, cross-border IP issues. It helps innovators and businesses navigate IP environments in other jurisdictions. And it strengthens judicial systems worldwide in keeping pace with the evolving landscape of IP law, particularly in the face of rapid technological advancements. Ultimately, it contributes to a more connected, transparent and coherent global IP framework.

Hong Kong's participation in WIPO Lex-Judgment database

China has been a contributor to this important database since its inception. Today, Hong Kong's participation carries special significance for a number of reasons.

First, it enhances Hong Kong's contribution to the international exchange of jurisprudence. Under the "one country, two systems" framework, Hong Kong is the only territory in China practising common law, and in both Chinese and English. Our Judiciary exercises powers independently, and is widely respected locally and internationally. Our protection of intellectual property is widely recognised. In fact, we rank sixth globally in IP rights protection in this year's IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook.

Indeed, as a trusted venue for resolving IP disputes involving parties from both the Mainland and abroad, our judgments often serve as valuable references to the international legal community.

Second, our participation further consolidates Hong Kong's position as a regional hub for IP trading and legal services. By enhancing the global transparency of our IP legal regime, we provide greater confidence to international businesses and rights holders to invest and pursue innovation activities here. They can count on our reliable, world-class legal infrastructure for the commercialisation and protection of their IP assets.

Third, Hong Kong's involvement in the database will foster deeper connections and collaboration with global counterparts in the IP field. It will enrich academic and legal research, encourage judicial dialogue, and help ensure that our jurisprudence remains at the forefront of global IP development.

Deepening collaboration with WIPO

Ladies and gentlemen, I am also pleased to note that our collaboration with WIPO is deepening in many other areas.

This afternoon, we will cohost the launch of the 2025 Global Innovation Index Ranking of the World’s Top 100 Innovation Clusters - an event jointly organised by WIPO and our country.

The back-to-back hosting of these two important events in Hong Kong is a strong testament to the Central Government's unwavering support for Hong Kong's development as a regional IP trading centre and a global innovation and technology hub.

We are also grateful to WIPO and the China National Intellectual Property Administration for their support in establishing a Technology and Innovation Support Centre in Hong Kong. This centre will empower our innovation and technology sector by helping businesses leverage the patent system, access high-quality IP data, and build capacity and networks, thereby further strengthening our innovation ecosystem.

Concluding remarks

Ladies and gentlemen, none of these achievements would have been possible without the steadfast support of WIPO and the Central People's Government.

Hong Kong remains firmly committed to playing an active role in international IP co-operation and contributing to China's vision of becoming a global IP powerhouse by 2035.

Before I close, I would like to take this opportunity to express my heartfelt gratitude to the Judiciary for upholding the rule of law and delivering judicial decisions of the highest standard.

Thank you very much.

Source: AI-found images

Speech by FS at Signing Ceremony of Memorandum of Understanding between WIPO and HKSAR Government Concerning WIPO Lex-Judgments (with photos/video) Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Speech by FS at Signing Ceremony of Memorandum of Understanding between WIPO and HKSAR Government Concerning WIPO Lex-Judgments (with photos/video) Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Speech by FS at Signing Ceremony of Memorandum of Understanding between WIPO and HKSAR Government Concerning WIPO Lex-Judgments (with photos/video) Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Source: AI-found images

Hong Kong-Shenzhen Joint Working Group on Environmental Protection holds meeting in Hong Kong

The Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Mr Tse Chin-wan, and Vice Mayor of the Shenzhen Municipal People's Government Ms Zhang Hua, leading the officials of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government and the delegation of the Shenzhen Municipal Government respectively, held the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Joint Working Group on Environmental Protection meeting in Hong Kong today (June 2).

The meeting reviewed and endorsed the Working Group's 2025 Work Report and noted the implementation progress of the Agreement on Further Deepening Hong Kong-Shenzhen Co-operation in Ecological and Environmental Protection (the Co-operation Agreement). Both sides also exchanged views in depth on the preparation of the five-year plan for ecological and environmental protection in Shenzhen and Hong Kong, regional environmental quality assurance during the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC) meetings, the joint development of the Shenzhen–Hong Kong ecological corridor, and cross-boundary biodiversity conservation. The two sides reported on their work progress and shared experiences on the above aspects.

The HKSAR Government is actively aligning with the National 15th Five-Year Plan and will complete the formulation of Hong Kong’s first five-year plan within this year. The HKSAR Government will continue to fully support the country in achieving its "dual carbon" goals, accelerate green transformation, and strive to reduce carbon emissions by half from the 2005 level by 2035, with a view to achieving carbon neutrality before 2050. At the meeting, the HKSAR Government reported progress in green transport, environmental quality and ecological conservation, including the promotion of a Shenzhen-Hong Kong cross-boundary electric cargo vehicle pilot scheme, preparations for nominating Port Shelter in Sai Kung for inclusion in the national "Beautiful Bays" list, and the deepening of co-operation on the Shenzhen Wutong Mountain–Hong Kong Robin's Nest ecological corridor. The Environment and Ecology Bureau (EEB) and the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) will organise a seminar on the Ecological and Environmental Code of the People's Republic of China in late June, inviting Mainland experts to attend. Representatives from relevant Shenzhen departments are also invited to attend the seminar as well as the Eco Expo to be held in Hong Kong in October during the meeting.

To ensure good environmental quality during the APEC Finance Ministers' Meeting to be held in Hong Kong in October this year and the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting to be held in Shenzhen in November, Hong Kong and Shenzhen will continue to strengthen regional joint prevention and control efforts, including air quality assurance, water quality monitoring and emergency response capability.

Both sides are also actively advancing the development of the Shenzhen Wutong Mountain–Hong Kong Robin's Nest ecological corridor. In 2025, the two sides jointly completed a biodiversity survey of the ecological corridor area, strengthened ecological data sharing and connectivity, and will further enhance conservation effectiveness in the future to promote ecological integration between Shenzhen and Hong Kong.

Mr Tse thanked the various departments of the Shenzhen Municipal Government for their full support. He expressed the hope that both sides would continue to work hard under the framework of the Joint Working Group, anchor on the ten major co-operation tasks set out in the Co-operation Agreement signed in 2024, and ensure all tasks are advanced with high quality and full coverage, so as to jointly build a Beautiful China and work towards carbon neutrality.

The Permanent Secretary for Environment and Ecology (Environment), Mr Eddie Cheung; the Director of Environmental Protection, Dr Samuel Chui; and representatives from the EEB, the EPD and the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department also attended the meeting.

Hong Kong-Shenzhen Joint Working Group on Environmental Protection holds meeting in Hong Kong Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Hong Kong-Shenzhen Joint Working Group on Environmental Protection holds meeting in Hong Kong Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases