Hong Kong’s IP hub ambitions require sustained investment, coordination: experts

Hong Kong’s initiatives to develop an intellectual property (IP) economy remain loosely defined and will require sustained investment and clearer coordination to take shape, industry players and analysts have said, following the latest budget outlining plans to turn the city into a regional IP trading hub.

Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po said in his budget address last month that authorities aimed to strengthen Hong Kong’s role in IP trading – including by refining tax arrangements, supporting financing and nurturing talent – as part of a broader effort to develop higher value-added industries.

For Lam Shu-kam, better known as SK Lam and founder of creative studio AllRightsReserved (ARR), intellectual property extends beyond characters or cartoons.

“IP is essentially a brand – it involves value creation and can enhance a city’s uniqueness and attractiveness,” he said, adding that its value came from how it was turned into products, events and experiences.

ARR is best known for staging large-scale public art installations, including the giant “Rubber Duck” sculptures in Victoria Harbour and the “100% Doraemon & Friends Tour” exhibition in 2024, which attracted about 5 million visitors.

While Hong Kong has long been strong in trading and commercialisation, creating original IP required significant time and investment, leading many businesses to focus instead on adapting or leveraging existing global IP, he said.