Three Windows to be Opened in the Sino-Korea Copyright Field
     On Sept. 18, the Copyright Protection Center of China (CPCC) and Copyright Committee of the Republic of Korea jointly signed the “Initial Written Proposal on Promoting the Sino-Korea Copyright Trade and Establishing a Copyright Protection and Cooperation System” at the 3rd Sino-Korea Copyright Seminar held in Beijing. According to the proposal, three windows will be opened in the near future by both sides: a window for information about Chinese and South Korean copyright laws, a window for Sino-Korea copyright trade information and cooperation and exchanges, and a window for professional legal services on Sino-Korea copyrights .　　
     The contents of this proposal include enhancing the cooperation and exchanges between the relevant institutions and enterprises of the two countries and promoting cooperation between the core fields of the copyright industry from both sides. On April 6, 2006, the two countries signed the Memorandum of Understanding on Business Cooperation. Thereafter, both sides jointly conducted various activities including copyright registration, information verification and survey of circulation.
     In the opinion of participants, unsmooth information communication is currently the major barrier to the Sino-Korean copyright trade and protection. The seminar discussions and signing of the proposal will enable more transparent cooperation between Chinese and South Korean enterprises in the copyright field and help avoid the unnecessary losses incurred to these enterprises from misuse of copyrights.
     This seminar was sponsored by the National Copyright Administration of China (NCAC) and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Korea, and undertaken by the Copyright Protection Center of China (CPCC) and the Copyright Committee of the Republic of Korea. Present at the seminar were more than 100 experts and enterprise representatives from Chinese and South Korean copyright industries.（http://www.Chinaxwcb.com）

“China Copyright Protection & Trade Exhibition” Becomes the New Highlight of the Book Fair
      Recently, the 14th Beijing International Book Fair (BIBF) was successfully completed. During the Book Fair, the highlight was the "China Copyright Protection & Trade Exhibition" organized by the National Copyright Administration (NCAC). To fully exhibit China’s achievements in the field of copyright protection and trade in recent years and to publicize the Chinese government’s firm stand and the progress in IPR protection, NCAC held the “China Copyright Protection & Trade Exhibition” during the 14th BIBF. It is the first time that BIBF specially set up two sections for exhibiting achievements on copyright protection and trade. 

     The two exhibition sections covered an area of 500 square meters. In the copyright protection achievement section, there were such copyright protection plates/subsections as follows: the system guarantee for innovative countries; the shield for copyright protection; the perfect legislative system; judiciary and administration: dual track system for executing law, exhibition on administrative law enforcement achievements for copyrights; keeping watch on our spiritual home: the public’s power, performing the function and role of a large country; the industry developments brought about by the copyright protection, and the power from innovation. All of these demonstrated China’s achievements to the public in recent years in such fields as copyright legislation, judiciary, administration, publicity and training, bilateral cooperation, and industry development.
     On exhibition in the section for copyright trade results were: the platform for cultural exchange, the overall exhibition of China’s copyright trade results, copyright trade development achievements by various local governments, and the export of books in 2006 by advanced publishing houses, which, in the form of pictures and words, introduced various work undertaken by the Chinese government in pushing forward the development of copyright trade, as well as the efforts and achievements made by the publishing houses in such aspects as developing copyright trade and expanding copyright exports. In addition, an interactive region was also set up for lectures on copyright protection laws and international copyright trade rules. The Copyright Protection Center of China (CPCC) and other institutions successfully conducted their activities in this region. Meanwhile, some publishing houses also conducted a number of copyright signing ceremonies and book promotional activities.

      According to statistics China's annual book exports in 2006 reached 7.36 million volumes with a total value of 31.92 million US dollars, an increase of 42.1% and 9.28% respectively over the previous year; and book imports were 3.61 million volumes worth 43.24 million US dollars, an increase of 3.04% compared to the same period of last year. In 2006, China imported 10,950 kinds of book copyrights and exported 2,050 kinds. Currently, China is implementing the "going out" strategy in the publishing industry to enhance the competitiveness of China's publishing enterprises and products in the international market and to help people in more countries to read Chinese books and understand Chinese people. (www.ccopyright.com)

Right Safeguarding Campaigns: Special Aid Plan for One Hundred Writers Initiated
     On Aug. 31, the “Right Safeguarding Campaigns – Special Aid Plan for One Hundred Writers”, designed for the protection of writers’ rights, was initiated in Beijing. The plan will provide a safeguarding service for one hundred writers selected by the writers association countrywide to mediate for solving copyright disputes and to defend their rights and interests through legal consultation, dispute mediation and legal aid by consolidating such advantageous resources as lawyers, administrative law enforcement departments and the website.

      The specific contents of the aid plan includes: providing writers with a legal consultation service in respect of copyright safeguarding by retaining professional lawyers; monitoring writers’ works under the commission of copyright owners and conducting such legal services as infringement investigations, referring to administrative protection and initiation of litigation; publicizing and promoting IPR protection via the news media and big and important cases on the safeguarding of works’ rights.
     It was learned that to strengthen IP protection, the Anti-piracy Subcommittee of the Copyright Society of China, the Rights Protection Committee of Chinese Writers Association and the Chinese Online Anti-piracy Alliance jointly launched the “Right Safeguarding Campaigns”. The “Special Aid Plan for One Hundred Writers” is just one of these. (Xinhua Network)

Beijing International Copyright Trading Center Opens
     On the afternoon of Sept. 13, the opening ceremony of the Beijing International Copyright Trading Center (ICTC) and the “International Copyright Trade Development Forum 2007” were held in the China World Trade Center in Beijing. Many copyright experts delivered speeches on the theme of the forum, i.e. “the Construction and Realization of China’s Copyright Industrialization”. They explained the problems that needed to be explored during the process of copyright industrialization and marketization from different angles, such as “Building Up a Platform for High-end Creative Industry and Cultivating a Copyright Factor Market for Beijing”, “Legal Disputes and Regulations on Copyright Trade”, “The Win-win Game — A Commentary on a Classic Copyright Case” and “The Road to Future Copyright Industrialization”.
    The International Copyright Trade Development Forum 2007 played a positive role in promoting the rapid development of China’s copyright industry, establishing a perfect and highly efficient copyright trading system, optimizing the legal environment of the copyright industry and setting up a communication platform for the elites of the copyright industry.
     It was learned that in the future the international copyright trade development forum will be held annually. The forum will, via the platform of the Beijing CBD International Business Festival, hold a substantive and extensive discussion on such contents as the current status of the world copyright industry, the legal problems regarding China’s copyright industry development, collective administration of copyrights, copyright trade practices, copyright trade agency services, and so on.

Translated by Zhang Meichang