The Intellectual Property Department signed a Memorandum of Understanding with IP Australia to strengthen mutual co-operation in the field of intellectual property (IP).

Under the pact, the two places will pursue co-operation in a wide range of areas in IP protection and commercialisation and capacity building in patent examination.

They will also share experiences in the operation of the international trademark registration system, promotion of dispute resolution to resolve IP disputes, and the development of information technology systems for the management of examination and grant of IP rights.

Director of Intellectual Property David Wong said: "I am confident that this collaborative initiative would inspire and bring about more joint IP undertakings in future. 

“As Hong Kong will soon roll out the ‘original grant patent’ system and we are also taking steps to implement the Madrid Protocol in the coming years, IP Australia's rich experience in conducting substantive patent examination and establishing an international trademark registration system under the Madrid Protocol would be invaluable to us.”

The department said as Hong Kong and Australia are both members of the IP Rights Experts Group of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, the two sides have a long history of collaboration on the patent and trademark fronts.

The pact consolidates the foundation for co-operation between the two places and takes such co-operation to new heights, it added.