On September 12, Expert Evaluation Meeting on the Results of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Case Study of Best Practise in Copyright Protection in Wujiang Silk Industry was held by the National Copyright Administration of China (NCAC) and the WIPO Office in China (WOC), in Wujiang District, Suzhou Municipality. At the meeting, comments and suggestions were given by the experts on The Report on Copyright Protection’s Promotion of High Quality Development of Silk and Textile Industries in Wujiang (Draft for Comments), which was drafted by the research team of the Case Study, and the arrangements was also made for the next step related to the Case Study.

The WIPO Case Study of Best Practise in Copyright Protection in Wujiang Silk Industry was the third case study of its kind conducted by WIPO in China, following by the first one of Nantong textile industry and the second one of Dehua porcelain industry. This case study is aimed at investigating how the strengthened copyright protection facilitates the transformation and upgrading as well as high quality development of the silk and textile industries in Wujiang, and developing therefrom and sharing with the world China’s best practice of advancing industry through copyright protection. Since August 2019 when the case study was launched, the copyright authorities of Wujiang District, of Suzhou Municipality, and of Jiangsu Province, by following the work plan of the case study approved by NCAC as well as the guidance of NCAC and WIPO, and working on the basis of the previous effective copyright protection, have further optimized the work system and mechanism, concentrated on improving the whole chain of copyright creation, utilization, protection, management and service, and constantly invogorated copyright innovation in silk and textile industries. More prominent achievements have been made by Wujiang in promoting the high-quality development of silk and textile industries through strengthening copyright work.

The case study and its results were highly recognized by the attending leaders and experts. The case study is perceived to help improve both the quality and cultural connotation of the silk and textile products in Wujiang, and the ability of enterprises to innovate and create, highlighting the unique role of copyright system in promoting the communication of excellent Chinese traditional culture and the high-quality development of silk and textile industries.

The unique “bottom-up” experience of copyright protection in Wujiang silk industry and the work mode of all-around copyright protection by the government, society, enterprises and authors, which are summed up by the case study, are typical examples of both social co-governance of copyright, and deep integration of copyright, culture, and industry. The experience and mode, as an effort of China’s participation in global intellectual property governance within the framework of WIPO, are the best practices or solutions China can share with the rest of the world.

At the meeting, comments and suggestions were also received on refining the report and publicizing Wujiang’s experience. The report would be further revised in text before getting published globally in both Chinese and English.

Ms. Liu Hua, WOC Director, Ms. Zhao Xiuling, Deputy Director General of NCAC Copyright Department, Mr. Jiao Jianjun, Director General of Jiangsu Provincial Copyright Administration, Mr. Li Zhenqiang, Deputy Director General of Jiangsu Provincial Copyright Administration, Mr. Wang Guorong, Acting District Mayor of Wujiang, Ms. Jin Jie, Director of Suzhou Publicity Department, and experts from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, East China University of Political Science and Law, and Jiangsu Provincial Higher People’s Court, among others, were present at the meeting.