The fast-growing applications for trademark registration filed by mainland companies to Hong Kong Intellectual Property Department (HKIPD) has made China in similar percentile to the United States, only shy of the home region.  Their patent applications, in particular standard patent applications, however, are still behind major industrialized countries, U.S., Japan and Germany, as our reporter embedded in a Guangdong IP protection society delegation to the HKIPD was informed. 

A HKIPD official revealed, a total 20,877 trademarks were registered in Hong Kong in 2006, a 10% increase year on year.  The top five filers were Hong Kong, U.S., China's Mainland, Japan and Germany.  Patent filings have also been on the rise in the past few years.  Applications for standard patent grew to 13,790 in 2006 while the short term version climbed to 520.