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The Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Gregory So, said at a roundtable discussion on intellectual property (IP) trading organised by the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, Berlin (Berlin ETO) on June 1 (Berlin time) that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government is committed to developing Hong Kong into a premier IP trading hub.
"Hong Kong today is flourishing as a trading hub and 'super-connector' between the Mainland and the rest of the world. With our sound financial and legal systems, low tax regime and world-class service industries, Hong Kong is well poised to embrace the immense business opportunities brought about by IP.
"Over the years, we have accumulated much experience in cross-border IP transactions, and have become a regional marketplace and service centre for activities ranging from copyright trading, licensing and franchising to design services and technology transfer," said Mr So.
Noting that the Mainland's own IP is rapidly expanding, Mr So said Hong Kong is an IP sourcing centre blessed with a deep pool of experienced, multilingual IP professionals. Through Hong Kong, overseas IP can be customised to suit the specific needs of Mainland buyers and that means opportunities for German companies too.
Mr So then spoke at a gala dinner organised by the Berlin ETO the same evening. Noting that Hong Kong's free-trade experience and global connections have been instrumental in supporting Mainland China's opening up to the world, Mr So said Hong Kong offers German companies the fastest and most efficient route to the Mainland's huge business opportunities.
He said German firms incorporated in Hong Kong can take advantage of the Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA) signed between Hong Kong and the Mainland to gain tariff-free entry into the Mainland market for goods produced in Hong Kong, and enjoy preferential treatment in accessing the Mainland's services sector. Hence, CEPA can help boost trade not just between Germany and Hong Kong, but also between Germany and China as a whole.
Pointing out that the "Silk Road Economic Belt" and "21st Century Maritime Silk Road" are new programmes in China that offer tremendous growth prospects, he said Hong Kong is poised to benefit from the new framework for organising multi-national economic development, which also means new business and new opportunities for German companies with investment and operations in Hong Kong.
Mr So will continue his visit in Berlin on June 2, visiting Adlershof, a high-tech park project in Berlin, and a German company which works on solutions for affordable charging infrastructure. He will also attend a high-level lunch co-organised by the Berlin ETO and the Association of German Chambers of Commerce and Industry.
Ends/Tuesday, June 2, 2015
Issued at HKT 12:51
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