Intellectual property trading: Dare to think and dare to act

As an international trading centre, Hong Kong trades mainly in tangible goods.

Intellectual property trading is a new industry. As stated in the National 12th Five-Year Plan, the country supports Hong Kong in consolidating and enhancing our position as an international financial, trade and shipping centre.

Last year, the Hong Kong Coalition of Professional Services held a symposium on the National 12th Five-Year Plan. One of the themes was to seek ways to enhance Hong Kong's position as an international trade centre.

The Honourable Mr Andrew Liao, an incumbent Executive Council Member and an expert in intellectual property law, was invited to the symposium to make a keynote speech on international intellectual property trading. In the 10-minute talk, he outlined the areas in which Hong Kong holds a competitive edge - the rule of law, the common law system, biliteracy and trilingualism, “One Country, Two Systems”, and more.

With a growing number of youngsters aspiring to be university graduates, we must continue to open as many opportunities as possible for our young talent. With a growing number of legal practitioners in the market, we must offer them more options in their career paths than just property conveyancing services or traditional business services.

If we dare to think and dare to act, we will find ways to forge a better future for Hong Kong.

October 22, 2012