Director of Hong Kong and Macao Work Office of CPC Central Committee and Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of State Council Mr Xia Baolong meets HKSARG Permanent Secretaries and Heads of Departments
The Director of the Hong Kong and Macao Work Office of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office (HKMAO) of the State Council, Mr Xia Baolong, met with a delegation of Permanent Secretaries and Heads of Departments of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government for a national affairs study led by the Secretary for the Civil Service, Mrs Ingrid Yeung, in Beijing this afternoon (April 21).
Mrs Yeung expressed her gratitude to Mr Xia for his full affirmation of the work of the HKSAR civil servants as well as the encouragement and expectation for the Permanent Secretaries and Heads of Departments.
She said, "Civil servants are the backbone of the HKSAR Government. Permanent Secretaries, as the most senior officers in the civil service, along with Heads of Departments, play a crucial role in implementing and executing government policies. We are committed, with our utmost efforts and unity, to fulfilling our duties, rendering full support to the Chief Executive in governance, steadfastly upholding the executive-led system, defending the bottom line of security and development, and delivering tangible benefits for the public, thereby starting a new chapter for the high-quality development of Hong Kong.
"The National 15th Five-Year Plan is the blueprint and action plan for the country's economic and social development over the next five years, supporting Hong Kong in the consolidation and enhancement of its competitive edge across multiple key areas. Hong Kong is formulating its first five-year plan at full steam, which will serve as a collective action framework for Hong Kong. Under the leadership of the Chief Executive, the civil service, particularly the Permanent Secretaries, will proactively align their work with the National 15th Five-Year Plan and co-ordinate development across various sectors, so as to lay a more solid foundation for Hong Kong's long-term prosperity and stability and to better integrate into and serve the overall development of the country."
In addition, the Director of Institute of American Studies, China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, Mr Chen Wenxin, gave the participants an analysis of the international landscape and China - United States relations at the National Academy of Governance this morning.
The participants will study at the National Academy of Governance tomorrow (April 22) morning and will depart for a duty visit in Chengdu in the afternoon.
Director of Hong Kong and Macao Work Office of CPC Central Committee and Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of State Council Mr Xia Baolong meets HKSARG Permanent Secretaries and Heads of Departments Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Director of Hong Kong and Macao Work Office of CPC Central Committee and Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of State Council Mr Xia Baolong meets HKSARG Permanent Secretaries and Heads of Departments Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Director of Hong Kong and Macao Work Office of CPC Central Committee and Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of State Council Mr Xia Baolong meets HKSARG Permanent Secretaries and Heads of Departments Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Hong Kong celebrates World Intellectual Property Day 2026
The Intellectual Property Department (IPD) today (April 21) hosted a reception to celebrate the World Intellectual Property (IP) Day 2026. The Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, and the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Algernon Yau, attended the reception and officiated at the toasting ceremony.
In addressing the reception, Mr Chan highlighted the substantial economic value of IP in the region. The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) now has close to 820 000 valid invention patents, representing nearly one-sixth of the national total.
Mr Chan said that the country fully supports Hong Kong's development as a regional IP trading centre, as reaffirmed in the National 15th Five-Year Plan. He underlined that in the Budget this year, the Government is advancing the IP agenda on three key fronts: strengthening the tax regime, promoting IP valuation and financing, as well as nurturing talent.
He highlighted that the Government completed the trade consultation on tax deductions for capital expenditure incurred on IP acquisitions. The aim is to amend the Inland Revenue Ordinance this year.
He also said that the Government has launched the IP Financing Sandbox, which allows stakeholders to experiment the full lifecycle of IP financing arrangements. Moreover, the Government supports the Hong Kong Technology and Innovation Support Centre to launch a Pilot Patent Valuation Support Scheme to help SMEs ascertain the value of their patent assets, with reference to the national standards, or Guobiao.
Mr Chan also highlighted that on the talent front, the Government has allocated $52 million for a two-year pilot scheme to establish an IP Academy. The Academy will commence operations by the end of this year and will offer practical, on-the-job training aligned with the Qualifications Framework.
In his welcoming remarks, the Director of Intellectual Property, Mr David Wong, said that the Government is pioneering efforts in helping enterprises fully leverage their IPs for financing and commercialisation and promoting IP education by providing relevant training to working individuals from different sectors. He emphasised that the Government's sustained investment in fostering the development of IP is a key pillar for consolidating the development of a knowledge-based economy.
The World Intellectual Property Organization set the theme of this year's World IP Day as "IP and Sports: Ready, Set, Innovate!". Exhibits of the 15th National Games were displayed at the venue. They showcased the power and commercial value of IP, as demonstrated by the huge volume of sale of merchandise associated with the two official mascots that have attracted widespread attention across the GBA.
About 180 guests including stakeholders from the legal community and IP-related associations, academics, consulate representatives, government officials and representatives from the public and business sectors attended the reception.
Celebrated annually on April 26, the World IP Day aims to increase general understanding of IP, pay tributes to inventors and creators, and explore how IP helps shape the world. The IPD promoted the World IP Day and related activities through various channels, including sponsoring the "Licensing Academy" workshops of the Asian Licensing Conference to offer industry players insights into new developments in IP licensing.
Hong Kong celebrates World Intellectual Property Day 2026 Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Hong Kong celebrates World Intellectual Property Day 2026 Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Hong Kong celebrates World Intellectual Property Day 2026 Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
