Vowing to strengthen Hong Kong’s international advantages, Chief Executive John Lee said in today’s 2026 Policy Address that the Government will strive to deepen the city’s development as an international legal and dispute resolution services centre, a regional intellectual property (IP) trading centre, and an East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange.

In terms of dispute mediation and resolution, Mr Lee said that the Government will support the International Institute for the Unification of Private Law in establishing its inaugural overseas liaison office in Hong Kong, support the Judiciary in advancing the development of the International Commercial Court in Hong Kong, and advance construction of the Hong Kong International Legal Service Building. Programmes organised by the Hong Kong International Legal Talents Training Academy will also be expanded, and it will explore research on cross‑jurisdictional topics.

Mr Lee said Hong Kong’s development as a regional IP trading centre will continue, and that in order to ensure solid legal protection of outcomes from research and development, innovation, and cultural and creative efforts, the in-house examination capacity under the city’s original grant patent (OGP) system will be strengthened. Moreover, pilot facilitation measures for OGP applications in major technology fields will be introduced next year.

A public consultation on the regulatory framework for local patent agents will be held before the end of this year, and specific legislative proposals will be formulated next year. In addition, the Hong Kong Intellectual Property Academy will officially launch in the fourth quarter of this year.

In the realm of culture, Mr Lee said the Government will expand the scale of arts, culture and the creative industries in Hong Kong, while reinforcing the city’s role as an international arts trading platform.

The WestK Performing Arts Centre, featuring four performance venues built to top international theatre standards, will open next year.

Meanwhile, the newly established WestK Academy will organise an international fellowship programme for auctioneers and offer courses on Chinese arts and heritage conservation.

The Chief Executive added that the Government will inject $200 million into the Arts & Sport Development Fund (Arts Portion) to promote sustainable development and the industrialisation of the performing arts.

Visit Chapter IV of the Chief Executive’s Policy Address for more details.