On May 15, Zhou Huilin (right), Vice Minster of State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television of the People’s Republic of China (SAPPRFT); Vice Minister of National Copyright Administration of the People’s Republic of China (NCAC), met WIPO Director General Francis Gurry (left) and his party in Beijing.

Yu Cike (fourth from right), Director General of Copyright Department of NCAC, Vice Director General of Copyright Department of NCAC, Tang Zhaozhi (third from right), Gao Si (second from right), Director General of the Department of Policies and Legal Affairs of SAPPRFT, WIPO Deputy Director General Wang Binying (fourth from left), Director of WIPO China Office, Chen Hongbing (third from left) and Deputy Director Lv Guoliang (second from left) attended the meeting.

On the morning of May 15, delegated by Nie Chenxi, Vice Minister of the Publicity Department, CCCPC, Minister of SAPPRFT and NCAC, Zhou Huilin, Vice Minister of SAPPRFT and NCAC, met WIPO Director General Francis Gurry and his party in Beijing. The two sides exchanged views on further consolidating and strengthening cooperation in the field of copyright and promoting the early entry into force of the Beijing Treaty on Audiovisual Performances. WIPO Deputy Director General Wang Binying attended the meeting.

Zhou Huilin first welcomed the visit of Director General Gurry and Deputy Director General Wang Binying. He said that the NCAC had maintained close ties and good cooperation with WIPO, which was consolidated and became more pragmatic, efficient and deep with the active promotion of Director General Gurry. With the development of China’s economy and response to the Belt and Road Initiative from more countries, the future exchange and cooperation between the two sides would be more extensive. The NCAC hoped that WIPO would continue to give more attention and support to China’s copyright work. At present, providing support to China’s economic and social development was one of the most important tasks of the copyright work in China. The NCAC was carrying out in-depth study on how to strengthen the strict protection in the field of copyright, further improve the top-level design of copyright laws and regulations and various systems, strengthen supervision over copyright law enforcement, as well as give full play to the main body role of right holders. The NCAC would continue to strengthen cooperation and exchange with WIPO and governments of countries along the Belt and Road, in order to achieve sharing and co-building, and learn from advanced international practices and experience. In addition, The NCAC would like to continue to cooperate with WIPO in the framework of the Memorandum of Understanding on Copyright Cooperation to do a good job in holding the International Copyright Forum, awarding the China Copyright Gold Award, as well as establishing demonstration sites of good copyright cases and other cooperation projects to support copyright cooperation, ability building and talent training at the level of the Belt and Road.

Zhou Huilin also briefed Gurry and his party on the coordination of the NCAC for the latest work of WIPO to promote the early entry into force of the Beijing Treaty, as well as the preparations for the International Copyright Forum themed “Protecting Creator Rights, Promoting the Development of the Culture and Film Industry” co-organized by the NCAC and WIPO during the Shanghai International Film Festival in June this year to provide an international platform for exchange and cooperation to right holders and users in Chinese and foreign film and television industry, and sincerely invited Gurry to attend the forum.

Gurry thanked the NCAC for giving long-term good support to WIPO. He said that WIPO attached great importance to working closely with China in the field of copyright. As global multilateralism was challenged nowadays, China’s active participation in WIPO’s relevant work was even more precious. At present, with the rapid development of the digital technology, the global copyright career had been rapidly expanding compared to five years ago, but it also faced many challenges, such as protection of broadcasting organizations and the right of renewal under discussion for a long time. The establishment of new rules and the conclusion of new treaties at the international level were becoming increasingly difficult. In the face of the current situation and changes in the development of the global copyright undertakings and cultural industries, WIPO would not abandon the idea of establishing a system at the international level and hoped that China would actively make a constructive sound in the field of copyright.

Yu Cike, Director General of Copyright Department of NCAC, Vice Director General Tang Zhaozhi, Gao Si, Director General of the Department of Policies and Legal Affairs, Director of WIPO China Office, Chen Hongbing and Deputy Director Lv Guoliang attended the meeting.

Update: May 22, 2017