On March 29, Zhang Jianchun, Vice Minister of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee presided over the 10th Plenary Session of the Inter-Ministerial Joint Conference on Promoting the Use of Legitimate Software in Beijing. Mr. Zhang emphasized that promoting the use of legitimate software is a long-term strategic task as well as a challenging and responsible job, which matters to both domestic development and international image of China. He pointed out that 2021 is the first year of the “14th Five-Year Plan”, the 100th anniversary of CPC, and also a year of special importance for China’s modernization. The Joint Conference members should better understand the importance of the task, study and implement in real earnest General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important instructions on comprehensively strengthening intellectual property rights protection and thoroughly push ahead with the decisions and arrangements of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, in a bid to make concerted efforts to advance with new accomplishments, and create a good cultural environment for the celebration of CPC centenary.

It was agreed that, in 2020, guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, the Joint Conference conscientiously implemented the spirits of the 19th CPC National Congress and its 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th Plenary Sessions, and comprehensively carried out the decisions and arrangements of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council. The Joint Conference coordinated the prevention and control of the COVID-19 pandemic and the promotion of the use of legitimate software. With Party and government offices, state-owned enterprises, financial institutions and other key institutions and industries as priorities, the achievements in promoting the use of legitimate software was consolidated, the copyright environment for software industries optimized, and the network information security strengthened, making a positive contribution to the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects. Mr. Zhang put forward four requirements for promoting of the use of legitimate software in 2021. First, strengthen organizational leadership and give more play to the leading role of the system. As the task continues to deepen, there will be more and more new complicated challenges, which require the members to further strengthen organizational leadership and overall coordination, and give more play to the advantages and functions of the working mechanism. Therefore, the mechanism should be consolidated, improved and implemented, so as to continuously enhance the overall effect and synergy of work. Second, be focused in work and further consolidate and expand the achievement. The members should effectively consolidate the achievement made in Party and government offices, central state-owned enterprises and financial institutions by focusing on institutional improvement, software procurement, use and management, daily inspection, and annual reporting and assessment. The members should also constantly expand the coverage of work by promoting the early use of legitimate software in local state-owned enterprises and public institutions as well as specific industries and key areas, and continue to promote the use of legitimate industrial design software. Third, strengthen supervision and inspection, and further promote accountability. The mechanism for a normalized random inspection should be put in place on the basis of improving the combined mechanism of supervision by the Joint Conference and third-party on-site inspections. The supervision, reporting and interviews should be intensified and the enterprises found to be using pirated software in large quantities punished in accordance with the law. Fourth, focus on the key aspects and further promote both security and development. The use of legitimate software should be promoted in tandem with IT application and information security by synchronizing in planning, arrangement and implementation, so as to protect information security. The legal, administrative and technical means should be comprehensively used to guide software research and development, create a more favorable environment for software copyright protection, and better safeguard the high-quality development of software industry.

The session was attended by heads of relevant departments. The 2020 Work Report and the 2021 Work Plan of the Joint Conference were deliberated and approved at the session.