Haldanes Partner Anthony Leung Comments on Hong Kong’s Push to Become a Regional IP Hub
Haldanes Intellectual Property partner Anthony Leung has contributed his insights to a China Business Law Journal article examining Hong Kong’s first five-year plan and its goal of developing the city into a regional IP trading centre.
The plan, unveiled by Chief Executive John Lee on 16 September, sets out to deepen Hong Kong’s role as a centre for international legal and dispute resolution services while strengthening its position as a regional IP trading hub.
The patent recognition challenge and incentivising innovation
Commenting on the reforms needed to make Hong Kong’s patent system more attractive, Anthony noted that given Hong Kong’s market size and the territorial nature of patent rights, “the key to an attractive patent system is to foster regional and bilateral recognition with other major markets.”
He recommended that the Patents Registry of Hong Kong pursue Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) initiatives with patent offices in other jurisdictions, allowing them to exchange information and encouraging patent prosecutions. He also suggested the Asean Patent Examination Co-operation (ASPEC) programme—a regional framework among ASEAN countries—as a model the Hong Kong government could replicate.
Beyond procedural reform, Anthony advocated for subsidies or tax incentives to cover research, development and IP application costs, encouraging businesses to conduct R&D in Hong Kong and apply for patents to protect their intellectual property.
About Anthony’s practice
A World Trade Review 1000 and Copyright Guide 1000 Recommended Individual for Trademark Prosecution and Strategy, and a Mondaq Autumn 2025 Thought Leader Award (IP; Media, Telecoms, IT, Entertainment) winner, Anthony is a specialist in intellectual property and commercial law. He has written extensively on the legal challenges posed by emerging technologies such as AI and NFTs. His expertise in drafting personal data policies and advising on employment-related privacy issues ensures that clients remain compliant in an era of heightened regulatory scrutiny. Beyond data protection, Anthony has a background in Media, Entertainment & Sports law, and manages complex IP portfolios and commercialisation agreements, securing the digital and physical assets of clients across the media and technology sectors.
Further reading
- Haldanes Contributes Hong Kong Chapter to The Legal 500 Artificial Intelligence Guide
- Haldanes Contributes Sports Dispute Resolution Article to Legal Industry Reviews (China & Hong Kong)
- Hong Kong TDO Reform: Proposed Cooling-Off Periods for Beauty and Fitness Sectors
- Haldanes’ IP Team achieves multiple accolades in two months
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