Speech by PSCST at opening ceremony of Hong Kong International Licensing Show and Asian Licensing Conference 2026
Following is the speech by the Permanent Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Ms Vivian Sum, at the opening ceremony of the Hong Kong International Licensing Show and Asian Licensing Conference 2026 today (April 27):
The Permanent Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Ms Vivian Sum (left), Photo source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Sophia (Executive Director of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, Ms Sophia Chong), (Director of the Asia Tourism Exchange Center, Mr Zhang Dong), Maura (President and Chief Executive Officer of Licensing International, Ms Maura Regan), distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,
Good morning.
I am delighted to join you all today at the opening ceremony of the Hong Kong International Licensing Show and Asian Licensing Conference 2026.
The Hong Kong International Licensing Show is a premier annual event that brings together global licensors and brands to explore business opportunities with licensees, agents and traders. This year, we are thrilled to have over 600 brands and 330 exhibitors participating in this three-day fair right here in Hong Kong.
The Government has been actively promoting the cultural and creative IP (intellectual property) industry in line with the strategic directions set out in the Policy Address. At the Hong Kong International Licensing Show this year, we are pleased to present 39 emerging Hong Kong design companies supported by the Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency, CCIDA in short, under my bureau. These companies are showcasing their licensable designs at the DLAB (Design Licensing and Business) Hong Kong Pavilion. Their participation not only highlights the vitality and originality of Hong Kong designs, but also helps raise our international visibility and market competitiveness. I invite you to stop by and show your support to our young designers.
Looking ahead, CCIDA will continue to support the production, application and circulation of cross-sector and cross-genre creative content through the CreateSmart Initiative, our dedicated funding scheme for Hong Kong's creative sector. In particular, we are stepping up support for collaborative projects involving cultural IPs with development potential across a range of sectors, including animation and comics, printing and publishing, design, film, and art technology.
I wish to cite the animation project Another World () as an example. With support from CCIDA, it has grown from a promising start-up project of short animation into an award-winning feature film with international attention. Building on this success, the project has gone on to register and commercialise nine IP characters, with art toy prototypes now under development. This demonstrates how creative ideas, when nurtured in the right ecosystem, can evolve into valuable and marketable IP assets.
To expand market opportunities and broaden the audience reach of local IPs and capture new commercial opportunities across the retail, tourism and lifestyle sectors, we are also supporting various public-facing initiatives both locally and abroad.
In addition, CCIDA has been working closely with the Hong Kong Trade Development Council to promote the registration of creative products on the Asia IP Exchange. Following the commencement of its new operation on March 31 this year, the platform now offers a comprehensive database of nearly 10000 arts, cultural and creative IP items, which further facilitates commercialisation, licensing and business transactions.
I would like to congratulate the Hong Kong Trade Development Council on organising these two important events once again. I also wish all exhibitors, visitors and participants a very rewarding experience in the days ahead.
Thank you.
Previous Hong Kong International Licensing Show and Asian Licensing Conference, Photo source: hktdc.com
