On April 17, during the Launch Ceremony of Copyright-Themed Events of the 2026 National Intellectual Property Publicity Week and the Yangtze River Delta Copyright Collaborative Development Thematic Event, Du Xian, Vice Chairman and Secretary General of the Copyright Society of China, released the “Top 10 Copyright Events of China in 2025”.
1. The National Copyright Administration issued the Opinions on Accelerating the High-Quality Development of the Copyright Industry. In July 2025, the National Copyright Administration issued the Opinions on Accelerating the High-Quality Development of the Copyright Industry, which comprehensively coordinates the entire chain of copyright creation, utilization, protection, management, and services in China. It clarifies the direction for establishing copyright rule systems adapted to new technologies like AI and big data, holding significant importance for promoting standardized, digitalized, and intelligent copyright operations. The document closely aligns with the new quality productive forces and the strategy of building China into a culturally strong country, emphasizing key areas such as copyright legal system, protection and supervision, industrial upgrading, and international cooperation. It marks the systematic advancement of China’s copyright industry toward “high-quality development” and lays a solid foundation for copyright work during the 15th Five-Year Plan period.
2. Pilot program for copyright finance expands to eight provinces/municipalities. In March 2025, the National Copyright Administration jointly issued the Implementation Plan for the Comprehensive Pilot Program for the IP Finance Ecosystem with relevant authorities, launching pilot initiatives in eight regions: Beijing, Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Guangdong, Sichuan, Shenzhen, and Ningbo. To address issues like suboptimal financial service mechanisms and incomplete risk compensation systems, the plan proposes policy measures covering registration, evaluation, disposal, and compensation processes. It supports institutions in developing copyright valuation guidelines and exploring copyright-backed financing, copyright infringement insurance, and copyright securitization to enhance the quality and efficiency of copyright finance.
3. Theatrical film copyright protection safeguards industry development. In 2025, the National Copyright Administration, China Film Administration, Ministry of Public Security, and Ministry of Culture and Tourism jointly launched a specialized campaign to protect copyrights of theatrical films. Law enforcement authorities investigated 21 film infringement cases during the Spring Festival season, shut down 320 illegal film streaming websites (apps), removed 438,700 infringing links, and penalized 1,492 offending accounts. Leveraging digital watermarking and other advanced technologies, the National Copyright Administration identified multiple piracy clues and transferred them to local enforcement agencies, establishing a new tech-powered enforcement model. With robust copyright protection, China’s box office revenue reached RMB 51.832 billion in 2025, with 1.238 billion theater visits, marking year-on-year increases of 21.95% and 22.57% respectively.
4. End-to-end copyright protection empowered the commercialization of cultural and creative IP derivatives. In 2025, the IP derivative market witnessed explosive growth, exemplified by merchandise from “Ne Zha 2” and popular franchises like Labubu. Production companies filed over 400 copyright registrations for derivative works prior to the film’s release. Judicial and administrative authorities intensified all-chain protection for cultural and creative IP, with multiple regions cracking down on major infringement cases involving designer toy IP. Severe penalties including substantial prison terms and heavy fines were imposed on offenders across production, warehousing, and sales operations, effectively safeguarding the legitimate rights and interests of rights holders. The comprehensive protection system encompassing rights confirmation, administrative enforcement, and judicial adjudication provided robust legal safeguards for the standardized operation and international development of cultural and creative IP.
5. The 10th China International Copyright Expo & 2025 International Copyright Forum was convened. In October 2025, the National Copyright Administration hosted the 10th China International Copyright Expo & 2025 International Copyright Forum in Qingdao, Shandong Province. This Expo attracted 57 exhibition groups and over 1,100 participating enterprises, resulting in 363 strategic cooperation agreements worth RMB 776 million. It comprehensively showcased China’s latest achievements in copyright protection and established a crucial platform for international copyright exchange and collaboration. The 2025 International Copyright Forum brought together experts from WIPO, global copyright scholars, and industry representatives to conduct in-depth discussions on digital-era copyright protection, AI governance in copyright, and copyright’s role in cultural prosperity. The successful hosting of this Expo and Forum further enhanced China’s international influence in the copyright industry, injecting new momentum for high-quality development of copyright-related sectors.
6. China’s Supreme People’s Court and Supreme People’s Procuratorate jointly issued the newly revised judicial interpretation on IP crimes cases. In 2025, the Supreme People’s Court and the Supreme People’s Procuratorate issued the Interpretation on Several Issues Concerning the Application of Law in Handling Criminal Cases of Infringement of Intellectual Property Rights along with typical cases, clarifying provisions on issues such as unauthorized acts, reproduction and distribution, incrimination thresholds, and circumstance determination in copyright crimes. The National Copyright Administration, in collaboration with the Supreme People’s Procuratorate and other agencies, jointly supervised 109 major copyright infringement and piracy cases involving films, online literature, software, and audiovisual products. From January to November, procuratorial organs nationwide handled 1,434 copyright-related cases and prosecuted 915 copyright crime cases involving 1,795 individuals. Through improved judicial interpretations and case supervision, China achieved significant progress in criminal protection of copyright.
7. The Copyright Society of China successfully completed the transition of its seventh council. In August 2025, the Seventh National Congress of Members of the Copyright Society of China was grandly held in Beijing, with responsible officials from the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee attending and addressing the event. The meeting fully affirmed the work of the Society and its sixth council, while outlining requirements for the new council, including strengthening political guidance, enhancing service awareness, adapting to technological changes, deepening exchange and cooperation, and improving internal governance. The congress elected the seventh leadership of the Copyright Society of China and adopted the newly revised articles of association. Members pledged to fully implement the requirements set forth by the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, uphold fundamental principles while breaking new ground, and work diligently to open new prospects for the Society’s development. At the Sixty-Sixth Series of Meetings of the Assemblies of the Member States of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), the Copyright Society of China officially became a WIPO observer, gaining participation rights in all WIPO meetings and subsidiary body activities.
8. Legal pathways for digital human image copyright protection were clarified. The copyright infringement dispute over digital humans “Tian X” and “Zhi X” was concluded in the second-instance trial in August 2025 by the Beijing Intellectual Property Court after the first-instance trial at the Beijing Internet Court. The courts ruled that digitally generated personas demonstrating distinctive aesthetic designs possess sufficient originality to qualify as protected artistic works. Against the backdrop of booming generative AI, metaverse, and virtual idol industries, this case marked the first judicial clarification on copyright protection pathways for digital human personas. It established a legal “firewall” for the development and operation of virtual streamers and digital IPs, holding significant practical value in curbing “digital piracy,” incentivizing industry investment, and enhancing China’s digital economy competitiveness.
9. The national-level online mediation–litigation coordination mechanism delivered tangible results in copyright disputes. In 2025, China intensified efforts in source governance and diversified resolution of copyright disputes. The national-level online mediation–litigation coordination mechanism jointly established by the Supreme People’s Court and the National Copyright Administration achieved widespread implementation across multiple sectors. The Music Copyright Society of China and Tencent Music Entertainment Group resolved disputes through this mechanism and reached a strategic cooperation agreement, marking a landmark event in China’s copyright sector in which major disputes were mediated through industry-based mechanisms and resolved through consultation between collective management organizations and leading platforms, thereby providing a breakthrough model for addressing digital music licensing challenges. The two parties established replicable and scalable models in authorization mechanisms, profit distribution, compliant usage, and rights holder safeguards, setting a benchmark for diversified resolution of copyright disputes nationwide.
10. The “Copyright in China” thematic exhibition was successfully held at WIPO headquarters. In July 2025, the thematic exhibition “Copyright in China: Safeguarding Innovation, Shaping the Future Together” opened at the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, coinciding with the Sixty-Sixth Series of Meetings of the Assemblies of the Member States of WIPO. Jointly organized by the National Copyright Administration, the Permanent Mission of the People’s Republic of China to the United Nations Office at Geneva, and WIPO, the exhibition featured four sections: International Cooperation, Legal Framework, Copyright Protection, and Industrial Empowerment. Through multimedia displays, physical exhibits, interactive experiences, case studies, and live performances, it comprehensively showcased China’s copyright industry development, international collaborations, and copyright’s pivotal role in fostering innovation and socioeconomic progress. The event embodied China’s pragmatic approach to global copyright governance, its commitment to advancing copyright endeavors, and its dynamic storytelling of China’s copyright narrative. The exhibition served as a vital window into China’s deep engagement in global intellectual property governance, attracting over a thousand guests including representatives from WIPO member states and observer delegations. WIPO Director General Daren Tang remarked that the event vividly demonstrated China’s thriving environment for stimulating innovation and its remarkable achievements in building a copyright ecosystem, highlighting the pivotal role of copyright in sustaining the prosperity of creative industries.